A regular customer of Boston Vanilla Bean Company, Albino Tuosto of Switzerland,
a professional chef of 22 years and frequent forum contributor, since 2001, to winespectator.com
hosted a party of close friends and fellow wine Connoisseurs.
The goal, evaluate vanillas from around the world.
Chef Albino chose Boston Vanilla Bean Company for the variety and quality of our beans.
As a medium he chose a gourmet vanilla ice cream recipe to showcase the vanilla bean flavors.
The recipe was designed to enhance the tasting experience.
Seven beans from various origins were used in the same recipe

The Recipe:
250 grams of whole fresh unpasteurized cows milk
120 grams of fresh processed whipping cream
1 day old organic egg yolk
75 grams of organic sugar
10 cm of whole vanilla bean seeds scraped out
All ingredients are macerated for 24 hours and cooked to just short of the boil.
Remove vanilla bean pods.
The mixture is then frozen in a Nemox ice cream machine.

The samples were served in the following order
1. Madagascar
2. India
3. Papua New Ginuea
4. Uganda
5. Tahitian BVBC
6. Tahitian purchased in Sweden
7. Mexico

Madagascar Results: Nice vanilla tone, fresh, spicey, quite complex, mid-long after taste,
"The best Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla that I have ever tasted", said Chef Albino.

India Results: Fresh and flowery, more primary aroma due to missing terciary aromas, sweeter
than the Madagascar but less complex, floral freshness, mid-long finish.

Papua New Ginea Results: Encompasses the flavor notes of Madagascar and Indian, nicely complex,
fresh but deeper aroma ala fresh tobaco, Sri Lankan black tea, long and persistant, "A great vanilla bean"

Uganda Results: This sample really tasted different with the deepest aromatic structure.
The tasters were spilt. The aroma somewhat like the forest floor, ceder, a hint of macis, fruity like huckleberry, a very long, nice after taste " I really like this one for the special taste" says Chef Albino.

Tahitian: BVBC Tahitian, The sample from Grower A had a flowery, more complex taste than the sample from Sweden but not the incredible fruity flavor and round aroma profile, the BVBC Tahitian sample had notes that reminded me of peach-blossom with a sugary sweetness. The sample from Grower B had a stronger vanilla flavor, more complex and intense, like grand cru chocolate from Venezuela, the sweetness was more like a blond caramel with a hint of maple-syrup in the background, longer aftertaste I would say it was different than the Sweden bean but at the same level.

Mexico: The most complex of all beans sampled. "Truely a giant" says Chef Albino.
It is very aromatic and floral with a deep fresh flavor. Combines the best of all the beans sampled, super sweet and velvety, an extremely long and persistant after taste. All of the tasters rated this bean tops.

Here are the tasting notes from the others of the Chef's Tasting Party:

David's tasting notes: Madagascar: white chocolat, made the icecream thin, relatively long aftertaste
Indian: richer fatter, less spicy, less of a long aftertaste, better for icecream
PNG: shortbread, madeline, tobacco, medium plus richness, medium plus aftertaste length, a good compromise, but litle aftertaste
Ugandan: peat and wood, cognac like, white and green pepper and very long aftertaste, very interesting indeed, very unlike artificial vanillin
Tahitian BVBC: Grower A had a flowery, more complex taste than the sample from Sweden. Grower B had a stronger vanilla flavor, more complex and intense Tahiti "Sweden", rich no edges, butter-fat, very good, though not competly persistent length, less spicy and subtle than the best, excellent for the purpose
Mexican: makes the ice cream taste as if there is more egg yolk, yet shows off more of the great milk quality, more citrusy, finess notes of caramelised sugar, tobacco and coconut, most complex and subtle,
it was the only vanilla bean that did not cover the high quality of the other ingredents rather the Mexican Vanilla accentuates them.

David's ranking:
1) Mexican
2) Uganda Tahitian "Sweden" BVBC Tahitian Grower B(tie)
3) PNG
4) Madagascan Indian (tie)

Rainer's ranking:

1) Mexico, had by far the most power in taste
2) Uganda, loved the different but extraordinary aroma (Rainer adds an exra point for everything that has an uncommon aroma)
3) Madagascar, flowery sweet, bees wax aromas
4) Tahiti "Sweden", the roundest, BVBC Grower B (tie)
5) India, for it's sweetness
6) Papua New Guinea, the most common taste

If you would like to conduct a "tasting" contact us by email to arrange for your beans at a reduced price.