Botanical Name: Vanilla planifolia
Common Method of Extraction: Solvent Extracted
Color: Deep Brown
Consistency: Thick
Perfumery Note: Base
Strength of Initial Aroma: Strong
Aromatic Description: Rich, warm, sweet vanilla aroma.
Possible Uses: Perfumery
Constituents: Vanillin, hydroxybenzaldehyde, acetic acid, isobutyric acid, caproic acid, eugenol, furfural.
Description
Vanilla essential oil is derived from the dried, cured beans or fruit pods of the large, green-stemmed climbing perennial, Vanilla planifolia, which is a member of the orchid family. Although Vanilla beans are sometimes used in their whole form, they are most commonly used for producing extracts and flavors.
Uses: Vanilla is used principally for ice cream, soft drinks, eggnogs, chocolate confectionery, candy, tobacco, baked goods, puddings, cakes, cookies, liqueurs, and as a fragrantly tenacious ingredient in perfumery.
Origins: Vanilla originated in Mexico, but today the United States buys Vanilla beans from Madagascar, Indonesia, Uganda and Tonga. Most of the world’s high-quality beans come from Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa.
Folklore: Vanilla was enjoyed by the Aztecs in a drink called Xoco-lall, which was made from cocoa and Vanilla beans. Cortez sampled this drink and returned to Spain with reports it contained magical powers. Europeans mixed Vanilla beans with their tobacco for smoking and chewing, and considered it a miracle drug.
