Are there any other figs that fall in the "top tier" / "(almost)everyone loves" category like Black Madeira? I'm not looking for personal favorites or regional specialties, but rather figs that are widely and consistently considered to be the best of the best by a majority of fig growers. BM seems to be the only runaway favorite, but RdB and CdDN seem like they are close in repute. Are there any other figs on the Black Madeira cult popularity tier?

I can't say personally for myself on the following, but I keep hearing good things about Peter's Honey and Smith.

I would think Chicago Hardy, widely available and everyone seems to consider it first-class or close to

Tylt33,
Violette de Bordeaux (Negronne), which is available almost every where.
Although BM has the reputation, it may not be "widespread".

VdB. easy to get and taste great.. as long as you have good weather. there are new varieties/unknown that are getting very nice initial review and might work in less favorable weather condition. Nero 600M, Niagara Black, St. Rita, Salce... CdDB is also good in less than ideal weather.. at least for me. 

From what I've heard others talking about these are suppose to be very good.
Col De Dame Blanc
Col De Dame Noir - still looking
Col De Dame Gris - still looking
VDB
Malta
Marseille Black
Atreano
JH Adriatic - still looking
Black Madeira - still looking

I had a couple Niagara Blacks this year and I am very impressed with the flavour and richness.  To me it is almost as good as the Black Maderia but much earlier and possibly more reliable, but that remains for me to see in the coming years.

I would not consider this fig a "Top Tier Fig" but I did give it the WOW response.

Mega Celeste

Not a popular name or cultivar and I consider "very inexpensive" at the moment. Something you might want to consider.

As for the Top Tier figs other than the mentioned RDB is the Black Ischia. 
The best figs in my opinion hands down.

Battaglia Green (light) and Italian-258 (dark) also rank very high in taste appeal (and are reportedly less fussy than some of the other boutique varieties).

Black Madeira definitely needs hot sun and long summer, unless you are martin and know few tricks to bring out the best. BM in my area this yr was not something i can say was top tier or even near it. 

I-285 grows very well. had number of figs on them, but didn't get to taste it. 

Figo Preto not sure what happened. but unlike Black Madeira, they all soured and spoiled, very quickly on the tree. i might have been sick and didn't look at it often enough. 

RdB (Ronde) definitely good. at least on the first yr figs i had. there was something different in the taste. 

JH Adriatic. wasn't impressed, but it was first yr figs. 

CdDB. very very good on a 2nd yr tree with raining like cats and dogs. good small tight eye. held it's taste even through ton of rain. strong berry flavor, and nicely sweet enough to balance that berry taste. amazing fig. 

There has to be a consideration for where the fig is grown, fact is that local conditions may have more to do with the "quality" of the fig than the "pedigree".  My top tier---- English Brown Turkey, Smith, LSU Gold, and an unknown Purple/Black.

that's true. have to figure in the local climate and weather. but as a person who is growing fig as hobby, half the fun is trying to make these figs to taste best at less than ideal weather and climate. i'm reading martin's posts very carefully. if he can get his figs look like they were grown in mediterranean climate, i'm sure it can be done where the summer is much hotter and longer. 

BM/Preto/I-258 are the same or close enough to be at the number one tier together, yes?

pete how old is your Black Madeira .

my BM is going into 3rd yr in few days. i guess. it put on the fig from the first yr. one thing i can say about BM. it's sure puts on lot of figs for the tree that size.

edit: it also doesn't split or sour as bad as Figo Preto. only one split. none soured. 

talking about which i had a trade going with a good strain of Celeste.. forgot what that was with. i need a tree that will produce reliable figs are large production rate. 

Alan - Yes they say Malta is the grandfather of Celeste. It's not any harder to get than a lot of other figs so it is readily available and I've never heard any bad remarks about it, only good. Maybe I'm putting it in a higher class than I should but I got a taste of them this year and I thought they were very good. I guess any fig can be an excellent fig to someone under just the right conditions. I might be letting my tastebuds override the spot for the Top Tier Figs but I haven't got a chance to taste all the top dogs as of yet. I'm hoping in time I can have that pleasure. So far I haven't eaten a bad fig, just some are tastier than others:)

Sal's G did very well for me this past year in poor weather and the figs from this 1st year tree out tasted all my others even my 5 year hardy chicago and adriatic. It was a kick to the tastbuds so much that I am adding another one or three

Portugal 80 

one of my younger trees,
but produced some of the best tasting figs this year.

No one's mentioned Maltese Falcon or Maltese Beauty?  I haven't tasted any of the ones mentioned here except Hardy Chicago, so I can't really say.

I have tasted Maltese Beauty, Preto, & Black Madeira this past fall. For first year fig taste they were all top notch in my humble opinion. I was the most disappointed in VDB. I would give the first three all 10's but would give VDB an 8.

Thanks

with this yr's weather down here, Black Madeira and Figo Prego didn't perform. neither did VdB. i'm rooting Maltese Beauty at the moment. if the weather return to normal coming yr, i'm sure all will be great.

I echo what Rafed and Pete said.

This was NOT a good year for figs! Mega Celeste was a complete surprise. My tree is about 5 years old. My Black Maderia is about 6 years old. I have 2 Fico Preto and yes they split like crazy along with many others. Again, this was a bad year for figs.

I'm falling in love with unknown figs. I'm lucky to have some. They are turning out to be freaky amazing! Sweet Charlotte Brown DJ and Unknown Black Greek DJ were good this year but excellent in the past years. Black Fig DJ taste pretty darn close to my Italian 258. But Black Greek DJ is hardier. I have a few other unknows that needs more research.

Here are my top figs of 2013:

Malta Purple Red
Ischia Black
LSU Purple
Salem Dark
Big Al
Brown turkey Not
Improved Celeste
Malta Black
Mega Celeste
Voilet Sepor
Smith
Zemblas Black
Hardy Hartford

These figs were a total surprise for me in my area.

My taste spectrum does not have too many bands other than 'good' and ' not so good'.
So, I look at it this way "what if I did not have 'this' fig !?' and for me that fig is "Vista"; not necessarily for its taste but its reliability, productivity, ripening time, its looks (colour/shape) and including fig taste when decently ripe. This despite the fact that the two trees I have are out of shape due to raccoons breaking branches every year.