I think I’ve had a pretty similar experience with wild pawpaws. The vast majority that I find in western PA have a similar flavor profile with a bitter aftertaste. There are some better tasting ones without any bitterness out there if you search enough in different areas, but they can be hard to come by.
I’ve tried some different named varieties (including NC-1, Shenandoah, Susquehanna, Allegheny, & PA Golden) and I definitely think that the better named varieties are worth purchasing. The flavor profiles of the named varieties really do vary a lot more than those you’d typically find from wild trees. If you have some wild trees in a good location that you’d be able to graft on, then I would maybe go that route and trade for some named variety scionwood on here.
I agree with hambone in his selections, though I quite liked Shenandoah. He’s right that it’s mild and doesn’t really taste like a pawpaw (more like a vanilla pudding to me), but I really like that uniqueness. I think that any of the Peterson or KSU varieties are a safe bet for good, bitter/metallic-free fruit. Of the older varieties: Overleese, Mango, and NC-1 should all fit that bill as well.
I listed my opinions on 5 varieties here: Pawpaw Varieties - #183 by TJ_westPA