Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar is considered one of the best varieties of vanilla in the world. Especially in terms of quality.
First of all, you should know that planifolia vanilla is the vanilla that offers the highest vanillin rate in the world of the most cultivated vanillas in the world. But it is Bahian vanilla and Dubia vanilla from Minas Gerais that will be the vanillas with the highest vanillin content. Bahia vanilla has 4 times more vanillin than planifolia vanilla. But this vanilla is rare and expensive.
When we talk about the price of vanilla, 1kg of planifolia vanilla from Madagascar is between $250 to $600 per kilo depending on the quantity purchased, while Bahian vanilla is more than 2000 euros per kilo.
Vanilla planifolia is grown on the island of Madagascar, which is now the largest vanilla producer in the world with more than 2,000 tons per year of vanilla production for a very good year.
The cultivation of bourbon vanilla begins with the selection of vanilla plants.
Plants are grown from cuttings and not seeds because the seed technique is too time consuming.
When you cut the foot of vanilla to make a cutting you should plant it immediately because they have a very short lifespan. Arnaud practices vanilla cuttings in water to develop his vanillas and this technique is tested in Belo Horizonte on a small scale.
Once the seedlings are established, they need to be cared for and maintained with care, which includes providing support, adequate lighting, regular irrigation and proper fertilization.
It takes 3 years for the vanilla plant to produce a flower and more than 6 years to become an adult. Then you practice water stress and you will be able to pollinate your vanilla.
The harvest of bourbon vanilla begins when the pods are ripe, it is a Malagasy decree which will authorize the harvest. It takes 7 to 8 months before harvesting the vanilla pods. Which takes place in November, then the vanilla is picked by hand and then it will undergo a preparation. Because vanilla is green at first.
Vanillas are separated into two categories split vanillas and unsplit vanillas. Then, they are immersed in a bath at 70°C maximum ideally 63°C for 2 to 3 minutes with up and down movements. Then the vanilla is put in woolen blankets for padding. The vanilla here will become graceful and it will undergo sun drying for 2 hours a day. Each clove should be massaged and turned by hand. If a vanilla is too exposed to the sun, it will turn red with too low a humidity level.
The vanilla must pass after this stage through refining. And he doesn't have a wooden trunk when we visited small plantations, but rather racks in a dark room where the vanilla will be aged for 2 to 3 weeks. It is during this stage that the will develop all its aromatic power and its characteristic aroma.
Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar is known for its sweet and chocolatey aroma, as well as its balanced and subtle flavor. It's a bit like the vanilla of our childhood, as I like to say.
This variety is often used in food products, such as pastries, drinks and sauces, because it brings a unique and delicate flavor to each recipe.
In conclusion, bourbon vanilla from Madagascar is a variety of high quality vanilla, grown with regulations that are becoming increasingly strict in Madagascar, carefully prepared and refined with rigor to meet the requirements of the export process in Madagascar. .
Do not hesitate to discover our video of the retrospective of the year 2019, the Comptoir de Toamasina goes off the beaten track to offer you high quality vanilla pods and spices.
What is bourbon vanilla? It is first of all an AOC, which will bring together the islands of the Indian Ocean such as Madagascar, the Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, Reunion Island and the Seychelles.
Did you know that vanilla was planted in Madagascar in the 20th century.
This vanilla quickly became world famous thanks to the quality of its ripening, its aromas and the know-how of the planters and preparers in Madagascar.
Did you know that Madagascar will produce more than 80% of the world's vanilla production.
Read our article, the price of vanilla, the SEO article on vanilla.
Le Comptoir de Toamasina has specialized in the importation of vanilla beans since 2010.
Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar will offer you an intense and deep aromatic amplitude.
You will become addicted to it like our tonka bean from Brazil.