Vanilla pompona is exceptionally scarce, as few farmers cultivate this variety commercially. Grade B pompona beans consist of whole but naturally short pods—typically 1 to 3 inches in length—along with some broken pieces resulting from their drier cure. The pods are thick and seed-dense, yet lower in moisture than Grade A beans. Due to their plump structure, pompona beans require a longer curing process than Vanilla planifolia, yielding an intensely aromatic vanilla well suited for extraction and infusion.
 
SIZE: Up to 3 inches
 
APPEARANCE: Grade B (Extract) Pompona beans/pieces vary in size and shape. Each order will include a mixture of small beans with less vanilla caviar, beans that are drier and less pliable, beans that are split, and pieces. These grade B beans/pieces are best for making extract. Their appearance will not affect their flavor or aroma. Vanillin is located on the inner wall (papillae) of a vanilla bean. As long as you incorporate the whole bean in your extract (pod and caviar), your final product will have maximum color, aroma, and flavor.
 
AROMA: Pompona vanilla is more perfumy and floral than planifolia vanilla with undernotes of cherries, figs, and cloves. The beans smell like a sweet bouquet of exotic flowers and can even have a candy-like scent akin to creamy marshmallows.