{"title":"Rare species","description":"\u003ch2\u003eFive species almost nobody grows\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen people talk about vanilla, they almost always mean three species: \u003ca href=\"\/en\/collections\/planifolia\"\u003ePlanifolia\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/en\/collections\/tahitensis\"\u003eTahitensis\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/en\/collections\/pompona\"\u003ePompona\u003c\/a\u003e. Planifolia alone accounts for around \u003cstrong\u003e95% of world production\u003c\/strong\u003e. The rest of the genus \u003cem\u003eVanilla\u003c\/em\u003e — more than a hundred species — practically never reaches a kitchen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is this rest that we went looking for: five wild or nearly vanished species, selected by Paul Galand, some of which are grown at only a few kilograms a year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy these vanillas are rare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is nothing commercial about their rarity: it is botanical. \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-chamissonis-bresil\"\u003eChamissonis\u003c\/a\u003e needs \u003cstrong\u003emore than two years\u003c\/strong\u003e for its fruit to ripen, and the orchid drops its fruit as soon as it is moved. \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-bahiana-bresil\"\u003eBahiana\u003c\/a\u003e is produced at only \u003cstrong\u003earound one kilogram a year\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-odorata-equateur\"\u003eOdorata\u003c\/a\u003e accounts for \u003cstrong\u003eless than 1% of world production\u003c\/strong\u003e. As for \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-cribbiana-guatemala\"\u003eCribbiana\u003c\/a\u003e, it had disappeared from cultivation for \u003cstrong\u003emore than four centuries\u003c\/strong\u003e, since the end of the Maya civilization.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral of them still grow in the wild, pollinated by endemic bees and hummingbirds, their vines climbing the trees of the tropical forest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur five rare species\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-cribbiana-guatemala\"\u003eCribbiana from Guatemala\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — Short, stocky beans, notes of green bell pepper, caramel and candied fruit, with hints of rum and panettone when infused. Used by the Maya, rediscovered in the wild and brought back into cultivation after seven years of work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-sotoarenasis-colombie\"\u003eSotoarenasii from Colombia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — Apple, plum, peach, aniseed and floral notes, a touch of tonka bean. Its skin, barely fibrous, lets you eat the whole bean. Harvested in Bahía Solano, on the Pacific coast, where making the most of it offers an alternative to deforestation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-bahiana-bresil\"\u003eBahiana from Brazil\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — Probably the richest in caviar of all species. Dried chili, blue cheese, wood, muscovado sugar, walnut, and an almost minty freshness. Its ochre-red essential oil is the mark of its power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-odorata-equateur\"\u003eOdorata from Ecuador\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — Smoke, pepper, blond tobacco, matcha, chocolate, cherry. Infused in milk, it evokes a square of melted white chocolate. Like Planifolia, it gradually frosts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/vanille-chamissonis-bresil\"\u003eChamissonis from Brazil\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — One of the largest vanillas in the world: some beans exceed 60 g after curing. Fresh almond, clove, black lemon, black cherry. Its tender skin can be eaten as is, almost like a candy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to use them\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike any vanilla: split, scrape, infuse. But these species can take — and deserve — to be treated as ingredients in their own right rather than as a mere flavoring. Cribbiana pairs with citrus or an unusual ice cream; Odorata stands up to red meat; Sotoarenasii and Chamissonis can be eaten whole.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo place these species in relation to the three classics, read our comparison \u003ca href=\"\/en\/blogs\/news\/vanille-bourbon-tahitensis-ou-pompona-quelle-variete-choisir\"\u003eBourbon, Tahitensis or Pompona\u003c\/a\u003e, and to preserve such rare beans, our \u003ca href=\"\/en\/blogs\/news\/comment-conserver-ses-gousses-de-vanille-le-guide-complet\"\u003estorage guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"vanille-bahiana-bresil","title":"Vanilla bahiana from Brazil","description":"\u003ch3\u003eAn extraordinary vanilla\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBahiana from Brazil is one of the most aromatic vanillas you can come across. Its richness in essential oils gives it exceptional flavor power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn opening, it reveals notes of dried chili, blue cheese, woody and floral notes, with an almost minty sensation. On the palate, sweet nuances also appear, reminiscent of muscovado sugar and walnut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also a vanilla particularly rich in caviar, probably one of the most generous of all species. It brings remarkable intensity to pastry creams, chocolate desserts…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAn extremely rare selection\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBahiana is a wild variety among the rarest in the world, because very little of it is produced. The beans are often naturally split, a sign of a late harvest at full maturity. This advanced maturity concentrates the essential oils and explains the exceptional aromatic richness of this vanilla.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt maturity, it develops a red-ochre essential oil, highly concentrated, the signature of its power and unique character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:#eeeeee;border-left:5px solid #999999;padding:15px;margin-top:18px\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px\"\u003eA word from Paul Galand\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Bahiana is a vanilla in a class of its own. It’s probably the one with the most caviar and one of the most unusual aromatic profiles I have come across. You find incredible notes: blue cheese, wood, muscovado sugar, walnut…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally, this vanilla was simply gathered in the wild by a passionate grower who collected different species for his personal collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy working with him and buying these beans for my own collection, we began to structure production. Today he cultivates a small quantity, which yields about one kilogram a year.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Galand vanille","offers":[{"title":"1 bean","offer_id":51148362645768,"sku":"","price":20.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"5 beans","offer_id":51148362678536,"sku":"","price":95.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 beans","offer_id":51148362711304,"sku":"","price":180.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 beans","offer_id":51148362776840,"sku":"","price":320.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0946\/9955\/3032\/files\/texture-velours-rouge_tre-vanille-bahiana.jpg?v=1775079716"},{"product_id":"vanille-cribbiana-guatemala","title":"Vanilla cribbiana from Guatemala","description":"\u003ch3\u003eA surprising vanilla\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCribbiana vanilla\u003c\/strong\u003e has a surprising, highly expressive aromatic profile. Its short, thick beans, rich in seeds, develop notes of green bell pepper, caramel and candied fruit. When infused, more indulgent nuances also appear, reminiscent of rum or panettone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis aromatic richness makes it very versatile in the kitchen. It works just as well in crème anglaise, pastries and desserts as in bolder preparations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA rediscovery\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCribbiana is an ancient variety, once used by the Maya of Guatemala. With the disappearance of that civilization, it gradually vanished from cultivation for more than four centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday it owes its revival to the work of Dario Ramirez, a vanilla enthusiast who rediscovered wild plants on his land and launched the first plantation dedicated to this variety. After seven years of development and selection, Maya vanilla was brought back into cultivation and could once again reveal its gastronomic potential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGuatemala, its historic cradle\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNative to Guatemala and southern Mexico, Cribbiana grows naturally in the tropical forests of Central America and northern South America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHad the Europeans encountered the Maya rather than the Totonacs when they discovered the continent, this vanilla might have been the one to prevail around the world. Its aromatic and culinary potential is immense, and its rediscovery opens a new chapter in the history of rare vanillas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:#eeeeee;border-left:5px solid #999999;padding:15px;margin-top:18px\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px\"\u003eA word from Paul Galand\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Cribbiana is a fascinating vanilla. It could have been the most widely sold vanilla in the world if the Europeans hadn’t discovered planifolia from Mexico first.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a vanilla rich in essential oil. Visually, it is very different from a classic vanilla bean, with its short, stocky look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts unusual aromatic profile of chili, bell pepper and caramel is surprising. I recommend pairing it with citrus or using it to make an unusual ice cream.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Galand vanille","offers":[{"title":"1 bean","offer_id":51148362875144,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"5 beans","offer_id":51148362907912,"sku":"","price":43.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 beans","offer_id":51148362940680,"sku":"","price":81.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 beans","offer_id":51148363006216,"sku":"","price":151.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"125g","offer_id":51148363038984,"sku":"","price":241.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"250g","offer_id":51148363071752,"sku":"","price":441.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0946\/9955\/3032\/files\/interieur-vanille-cribbiana-caviar-prestige.jpg?v=1775146870"},{"product_id":"vanille-chamissonis-bresil","title":"Vanilla Chamissonis from Brazil","description":"\u003ch3\u003eA spectacular vanilla\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChamissonis from Brazil is an extraordinary vanilla, as much for its size as for its aromatics. The beans develop a profile of fresh almond, clove, black lemon and black cherry, with hints of candle wax and a very singular minty freshness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe skin is particularly thick, tender and concentrated in aromas. Like some Pompona vanillas, it can be used entirely and even eaten as is. The texture is soft, almost candied, giving the impression of biting into a candy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt works very well for powerful infusions, desserts or preparations where vanilla becomes a true ingredient.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAn extraordinary selection\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChamissonis is one of the largest vanillas in the world. Green beans can reach more than 200 g, and even after curing some exceed 60 g, making them impressive specimens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit takes more than two years to reach maturity, which explains its rarity. The plant is also difficult to grow: when the orchid is moved, it tends to lose its fruit. Production therefore remains extremely limited and requires a great deal of patience and know-how.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMata Atlântica, Brazil’s rainforest\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis vanilla is endemic to the Mata Atlântica, Brazil’s Atlantic rainforest, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. The country is home to more than 19 endemic vanilla species that remain largely unexplored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLong observed only in the wild, Chamissonis is just beginning to be cultivated. Its flower, which stays open for more than three days, is particularly fragrant, a rare phenomenon among vanillas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:#eeeeee;border-left:5px solid #999999;padding:15px;margin-top:18px\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px\"\u003eA word from Paul Galand\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“For me, Chamissonis is one of the most beautiful vanillas in the world. It is the largest I have ever seen: some beans weigh more than 60 g after curing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a very difficult vanilla to grow. The fruit takes more than two years to ripen and the plant is sensitive, which makes harvests rare. But when you open the bean, it’s incredible: fresh almond, clove, black lemon, black cherry… It is also, for me, the hardest vanilla to define, because of its aromatic richness and depth. It is a very complex vanilla.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike some Pompona vanillas, the skin can be eaten as is. It is tender, aromatic, almost like a candy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Galand vanille","offers":[{"title":"1 bean 14\/18g","offer_id":58630794936584,"sku":null,"price":140.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"1 bean 20\/24g","offer_id":58630794969352,"sku":null,"price":190.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1 bean 27\/29g","offer_id":58630795002120,"sku":null,"price":250.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0946\/9955\/3032\/files\/vanille-chamissonis-bresil-macro-texture.jpg?v=1789227176"},{"product_id":"vanille-sotoarenasis-colombie","title":"Vanilla sotoarenasii from Colombia","description":"\u003ch3\u003eA delicate vanilla\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSotoarenasii vanilla has a gentle, singular aromatic profile. Its beans develop notes of apple, plum and peach, accompanied by aniseed, floral and slightly licorice-like nuances, with a touch of tonka bean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts skin, less stringy than that of many vanillas, allows you to use the whole bean, almost like a ripe fruit. It works perfectly in desserts, crème anglaise and pastry cream, etc. Some beans can even be eaten as is, to discover the full richness of their aromatics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA wild selection\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOften confused with Planifolia because of the resemblance of its leaves and flowers, Sotoarenasii nevertheless stands out for its shorter, wider beans, as well as its very particular aromatic profile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a wild vanilla, naturally pollinated by the region’s endemic bees and hummingbirds. In the jungle, it grows freely, its vines climbing the trees of the rainforest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike Odorata, it is one of the species behind certain natural hybridizations, notably those that contributed to the emergence of Tahitensis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBahia Solano, an unspoiled forest\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis vanilla grows in the Bahía Solano region, on the Pacific coast of Colombia, one of the wildest and most inaccessible territories in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this very poor region, growing vanilla is a valuable alternative to deforestation and illicit crops. Vanilla vines are plentiful in the forest, and making the most of them helps preserve this exceptional ecosystem while providing an income for local communities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach bean produced here therefore carries an extra dimension: that of a protected forest and a more sustainable economy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:#eeeeee;border-left:5px solid #999999;padding:15px;margin-top:18px\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px\"\u003eA word from Paul Galand\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sotoarenasii is a wild vanilla that I find fascinating. It grows all around Bahía Solano, in an incredibly dense jungle. Colombia is one of the wildest territories I have ever gone to in search of vanilla. Reaching the beans was a real obstacle course: crossing swamps, making our way among caimans, anacondas, ants and tarantulas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAromatically, it is something very fruity, with notes of apple, an aniseed touch and a very floral side. It can even be eaten as is. I am still working on the curing so that visually it comes closer to the freshness of tahitensis.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Galand vanille","offers":[{"title":"1 bean","offer_id":51537171841288,"sku":"","price":10.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"5 beans","offer_id":51537171874056,"sku":"","price":45.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 beans","offer_id":51537171906824,"sku":"","price":85.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 beans","offer_id":51537171972360,"sku":"","price":140.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0946\/9955\/3032\/files\/vanille-sotoarenasii-colombie-deux-gousses.jpg?v=1789992372"},{"product_id":"vanille-odorata-equateur","title":"Vanilla Odorata from Ecuador","description":"\u003ch3\u003eComplexity in the service of taste\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOdorata vanilla develops a singular, deep aromatic profile. Very rich in seeds, it offers complex aromatics: notes of smoke, pepper, blond tobacco, matcha, chocolate, cherry, joined by hints of honey and cocoa butter. The whole almost evokes a Black Forest–style dessert, where cocoa and red berries mingle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn pastry, using it remains simple and direct, identical to using a classic vanilla. It will be very well suited to classic preparations such as a pastry cream, ice creams, a loaf cake… In savory dishes, it pairs wonderfully with red meat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA rare selection\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOdorata is an extremely rare wild species, accounting for less than 1% of world vanilla production. Its beans are particularly rich in caviar, often even more so than those of Planifolia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVisually, it can in fact recall the latter, with a similar silhouette. But once opened, the aromatics are completely different: deeper, with a very distinctive signature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Amazon, a wild land\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis vanilla is endemic to Central and South America, mainly in the Amazon forests. It grows in the wild in the jungle, sometimes on the same supports as other species such as Sotoarenasis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Odorata flower is also particularly remarkable: very fragrant, it already carries within it the aromatic intensity found later in the bean. In this natural environment, these species have given rise to certain natural hybridizations, notably those that contributed to the emergence of Tahitensis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:#eeeeee;border-left:5px solid #999999;padding:15px;margin-top:18px\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px\"\u003eA word from Paul Galand\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“To my mind, Odorata vanilla is a rare vanilla, because it is very little known to the general public. Yet it is a vanilla found everywhere in South America. It grows in the wild in the most tropical and humid places. It is pollinated naturally by bees or hummingbirds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts aromatic notes of matcha, blond tobacco, chocolate and cherry win over most palates. When you infuse this vanilla in milk and taste it, it feels as if you had melted a square of white chocolate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike planifolia, Odorata is a species rich in vanillin; the beans gradually begin to frost.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Galand vanille","offers":[{"title":"1 bean","offer_id":52741164826888,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"5 beans","offer_id":52741164859656,"sku":null,"price":47.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 beans","offer_id":52741164892424,"sku":null,"price":87.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 beans","offer_id":52741164957960,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0946\/9955\/3032\/files\/vanille-odorata-equateur-macro-cristaux-vanilline.jpg?v=1789991279"}],"url":"https:\/\/galand-vanille.com\/en\/collections\/especes-rares.oembed","provider":"Galand Vanille","version":"1.0","type":"link"}