most tasty blackberry?

which variety would you recommend as the tastiest blackberry- (i'm ok with thorns)- and where can i buy the plant

Illini Hardy Blackberry http://www.millernurseries.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=39

Marionberries are the best, but I doubt they are hardy in your area if you don't cover them in winter. They are also a total pain to grow: big thorns, creeping along the ground and in the way of everything, rooting where you don't want, etc. But, you asked for the best-tasting. Bay Laurel and Raintree are two sources I recall. I have been growing them in my 6b/7a zone and am on the fence whether I am going to keep them or just replace them with Triple Crown or some other variety -- a ripe Triple Crown comes pretty close once you learn how to pick them dead-ripe.

Scott

thanks- i guess i will try one of each

Triple Crown is tasty.

last year i bought some raspberry and blackberry plants from monrovia via my local nursery- the plants were loaed with berries but the berries scored 2/10 for taste

gg, you should know that for blackberries the picking time is half of it -- you need to pick them when they are getting a bit soft and dull (not as shiny). It takes some experience to find the ripe ones. Let the early ones go too long, and then you can work back to the right picking point. The fact that you gave them 2/10 makes me think you may have been picking them too early, all the balckberries I have tried are at least 5/10 when picked ripe enough.

Scott