Are there variety examples with lots of figgy taste? Is this a specific flavor note? 

i would like to know also.. so i got Hardy Chicago to find out. but i heard someone saying that it's fig newton from 80's before the flavor changed. i don't remember what fig newton tasted like in 80's.

Figgy flavor to me is the sweetness, juiciness of the fig and the crunchiness of the seeds' leaving a delicious after taste in your mouth. That said varieties that are left to ripen completely almost dead ripe has the richest fig flavor.

So what figs do you think would do best left to ripen completely on the tree ?   

I think the black figs have a stronger fig taste- black mission always comes to mind.  The green/white/yellow varieties can have more honey/sugar/mild tastes in my opinion.

Whats taste without smell...
I think that there is a certain smell to each fig which affects its taste too...

To myself, figgy taste meant the fig taste that reminded me childhood memories of the taste of the figs that street hawkers used to bring to sell in the fig season. They always used to look and taste like very ripe Mission figs with skin peeling off with a touch.

Great hearing everyone's descriptions. Gotta say though--these are all very unique and specific definitions!!!

IMO, fig taste is similar to a caramel like flavor, somewhat earthy. In some figs, mostly darker varieties it is more intense. Brown turkey, Improved Celeste,Hardy Chicago and California Brown Turkey has that distinct flavor. If the fig is fully ripe or dehydrated the flavor is usually more intense.

It is usually the first note that I taste. Next there are different degrees of sweetness and whether it is sugar sweet or honey sweet. Then there are the hints of different berry flavors. Then it may be rich and creamy or have a sharp acidic finish. And last, if the seeds are large enough I get the nutty taste mixed in (like toasted sesame seeds).

Figs should just taste like so-to-speak "figs";
freshly harvested fully-ripened off the tree!
(I favor some more sweetness over being just bland.)

Some people sometimes do get a hint-taste of some other
fruit on their taste buds; e.g., watermelon, etc.
As for me, I do not want my figs to taste like watermelons;
I can easily buy (and possibly grow) them watermelons ...

[A (true) fig taste is 'quite-unique' and (somewhat) hard to describe.]

george i think I like me a classic fig taste best too.

Ray Givens video describes Hardy Chicago as such in his video.
I totally agree with him and also George's comments in post # 11
Talked about this one for years on this forum.  ; )
Eat a nice ripe Hardy Chicago fig (1 of my favorites)  and then you will understand what rich figgy taste is .

Now use your imagination on how good these were. lol

My Hardy Chicago figs last season tasted great. This year seems like I'll have a bit more legit crop of these figgy guys :). I don't know how but the birds let me even wait until they were shriveled up dead ripe. Outstanding interior red color too.

Yes Persian nice interior indeed  , to me personally this is what represents a true fig taste.
Very common fig and perhaps often overlooked now a days.
Others may differ and its understandable.

Figs are expensive here... and my parents didnt grow them but bought them only when guests came-
they always told me to eat one or two.. and leave some for the guests.

what happened finally is i woke up in the middle of the night and finish 5 more :).

A figgy taste is like pornography.  I can't describe it but I know it when I taste it*.  I like the figgy taste a lot but I love melon, berry, peach or whatever variations on it, too.

* Supreme Court Associate Justice Potter Stewart may be best known for a quotation, or a fragment thereof, from his opinion in the obscenity case of Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964). Stewart wrote in his short concurrence that "hard-core pornography" was hard to define, but that "I know it when I see it."^[12]

LOL... Bob, what kind of porn are you watching?

Just this forum.

Bob - that was great!  I may not be able to describe it but I know when I taste it!!  LOL 

There is a young lady where I work and doesn't know much about food other then fast food and maybe some other local Texas cuisine.  Whenever I give her something to try she asks "what's it taste like?"  I think the last time was a persimmon.  I told her it tasted like a persimmon!!  Just taste the darn thing!!