Vanilla Glossary: Key Terms Explained

This glossary defines the core terms used in the vanilla trade, sourced from Amadeus Vanilla Beans – a direct-import vanilla company with over 30 years of experience working with family farms in Madagascar, Mexico, Uganda, Tahiti, Comoros, Tanzania, and Indonesia.

Bourbon Vanilla

Bourbon vanilla is vanilla grown on Indian Ocean islands, primarily Madagascar, Comoros, and Reunion (historically called Ile Bourbon, hence the name). It is Vanilla planifolia by species – not a different plant, just a different growing region. Bourbon vanilla has nothing to do with bourbon whiskey. It is the world’s most common vanilla style, prized for its classic, creamy, caramel-forward flavor with notes of dried cherry and butter. Madagascar Bourbon vanilla accounts for roughly 80% of the world’s vanilla supply.

Grade A (Gourmet Vanilla Beans)

Grade A vanilla beans are premium-quality beans with high moisture content (above 25%), a plump and flexible body, and an oily, visually appealing appearance. They are also called Gourmet Grade. Grade A beans are best used in recipes where vanilla is a featured flavor – custards, ice cream, pastry cream, creme brulee – because their aroma and appearance add value. At Amadeus, all gourmet-line beans are Grade A.

Grade B (Extract Grade / Splits)

Grade B vanilla beans have lower moisture content (below 25%), a drier texture, and often a split or cracked exterior – which is why they are also called splits or vanilla bean splits. They are not inferior: lower moisture means a higher concentration of flavor compounds per gram, making Grade B beans ideal for making vanilla extract and infusions. Extract-grade splits cost less than Grade A beans and yield more flavor per dollar when used in extract production. Home extract makers and commercial producers commonly use splits for this reason.

Vanilla Planifolia

Vanilla planifolia is the primary commercial species of vanilla, native to Mexico, and responsible for roughly 95% of the world’s vanilla production. Most vanilla on the market – including Madagascar Bourbon, Mexican, Ugandan, Comoros, and Tanzanian varieties – is V. planifolia. The species produces the characteristic rich, creamy vanilla flavor most people recognize. It is a tropical orchid that requires hand-pollination outside its native range.

Vanilla Pompona

Vanilla pompona (also called vanillon or West Indian vanilla) is a third distinct vanilla species, native to Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. The pods are shorter and fatter than V. planifolia – thick, meaty, and visually striking. The aroma is heavier and earthier than Bourbon vanilla, with musky, fruity, and slightly floral undertones. Pompona is rare in commercial production; most available today is grown on specialty farms in Madagascar, which is where Amadeus sources its Madagascar Pompona Gourmet Vanilla Beans. It is less commonly used for extract-making and is prized primarily as a specialty ingredient for pastry chefs and advanced home bakers.

Vanilla Tahitensis

Vanilla tahitensis (Tahitian vanilla) is a distinct vanilla species grown primarily in Tahiti and Papua New Guinea. It produces vanilla beans that are shorter, plumper, and higher in heliotropin (piperonal), which gives Tahitian vanilla its characteristic floral, cherry, and anise-like aroma – noticeably different from the classic V. planifolia profile. Pastry chefs favor Tahitian vanilla for fruit-forward desserts, light custards, and recipes where a floral note complements other ingredients.

Vanillin

Vanillin is the primary flavor compound in vanilla beans, responsible for the characteristic vanilla scent and taste. Natural vanillin forms during the curing process as glucovanillin (a glycoside present in green beans) is enzymatically converted. Pure vanilla extract contains vanillin alongside over 200 other flavor compounds that give it complexity. Artificial vanilla (imitation vanilla) uses synthetic vanillin derived from lignin or guaiacol – it provides the vanillin note alone, without the supporting compounds that give natural vanilla its depth.

Curing

Curing is the post-harvest process that transforms green, odorless vanilla pods into the dark, fragrant vanilla beans used in cooking. The traditional process has four stages: killing (blanching or sun-wilting the green pods to stop growth), sweating (alternating warmth and rest to activate enzymes and develop flavor compounds), drying (slow air-drying over weeks to reduce moisture), and conditioning (rest in closed containers for further aroma development). The full process takes three to six months. Properly cured beans are dark brown to black, pliable, and intensely aromatic. Poor curing produces dry, brittle, low-aroma beans regardless of origin quality.

Questions about vanilla? Visit our Vanilla FAQ or browse our full product catalog. For wholesale inquiries, see Large Orders.