VANILLA EXTRACT

This vanilla won top praise for being “strong,” “rich,” and “spicy,” with a “sweet undertone.” It had “clear vanilla flavor with nice balance” and notes of “dried fruit,” “caramel,” and “chocolate,” “like Kahlúa or Bailey’s.” In pudding, it was deemed “a step above,” with an extremely “pleasing finish.”

“Smoky” and “earthy,” with “caramel,” “prune,” and “chocolate” notes, it was praised for offering “deeper, richer ‘bass tones’ of flavor.” Prepared in pudding, it was “subtle,” a “gentlemanly vanilla: well-balanced, mature, a suggestion of alcohol and smoke.”

“Sweeter and more pleasant” than other vanillas, it lacked the “boozy burn” of some of the pure extracts and offered a “sweet floral flavor,” with “honey” and “maple” notes. In pudding, it was “like burnt marshmallows,” with a “nutty” finish.

Tasters felt that this imitation vanilla ranked with the pure extracts. “Lovely, seemed like pure vanilla,” said one; another described it as “mild and gentle; maybe it’s not real, but it tastes good.” Others said it was “perfumy,” with notes of “toasted rice” and “buttered popcorn.”

“Sweet,” with “a nice depth” was a common reaction to this extract. Some noted that it had “elements of tea,” “chocolate,” and “a little caramel” and was “clovey,” with “assertive vanilla” flavor. But the alcohol struck many as “overpowering.”

“Sweet,” but with a “harsh, boozy finish” and a “peaty, almost smoky flavor,” it “smells great, but tastes blah.” In pudding, it was “much too smoky and heavy,” though some found it “potent” and “complex.”

The ingredient list shows “vanilla bean extractives” in last place, after corn syrup. “Good aroma, but flavor is straightforward and somewhat lacking,” said one taster; others called it “mild,” with a “malted flavor.” In pudding, it was “subtle.” In sum: “decent but unremarkable.”

Has a “sharp scent, followed by a sharp and unforgiving flavor”; “heavy on the alcohol,” it was “slightly herbaceous, a mix of floral and earthy.” In pudding, tastes “like melted Breyers vanilla ice cream,” but with a “harsh” aftertaste that “hits sharply in the back of the throat,” leaving “a little burn.”

Includes cocoa and tea extractives “and other artificial flavorings” to mimic the complexity of pure vanilla. Tasters detected “some vanilla, but that dissipates, and tastes almost fruity,” with “nuts,” “cherry cola,” and “coffee” notes. In pudding, it was “bright,” like a “girly cocktail.”

With a “barely there aroma and flavor” that came across as “faint, but otherwise fine,” this gourmet line from McCormick is not worth its high price. In pudding, tasters said there was “not much vanilla coming through.”

“Mild,” “thin,” “sharp,” and “weak,” this came across as “all nose, no flavor,” with an aftertaste of “bitterness at the back of the throat like Robitussin.” In pudding, it was “bland” and “medicinal,” though a few tasters found it “floral.”

Tasters liked its “sweet” aroma, but complained that this imitation had “virtually no” vanilla taste, and what there was seemed “way too mild,” like “Carnation Instant Breakfast.” In pudding, tasters described it as “soft-serve vanilla” and “commercial-tasting.”