Vanilla Beans Long coveted for its delicious flavor and tantalizing scent, vanilla beans. Indian vanilla beans are sweet, creamy and extremely aromatic. Many will contest that the sweet woodsy flavor profile of these beans are superior to that of the Madagascar variety. Indian Vanilla Beans can be used in many of the same applications where Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans are used. Grade B Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans (also called extract beans) contain significantly less moisture and are less attractive. They are smaller and contain many imperfections (splits and cracks), unlike our premium Grade A beans. Don't worry though, because the flavor isn't in the appearance. These beans will work just fine in your homemade vanilla extract, but are not ideal for baking or cooking with.