Farmers briefly dip the fresh and ripe pods into hot water. The purpose is twofold: to halt vegetative growth inside the bean and to initiate enzymatic reactions that unlock flavour compounds. In scientific terms, this process prevents specific tissues from growing, but maintains the activity of enzymes such as β-glucosidase. Those enzymes then convert glucovanillin, a natural precursor, into vanillin, which is the compound that gives vanilla its signature aroma.
After hot water treatment, the pods are wrapped in blankets or cloth and sometimes placed in boxes where residual heat and humidity accumulate. This sweating phase stimulates enzymatic activity. Oxidases such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) begin to work, and glucovanillin starts to break down into vanillin. Aromatic precursors continue their transformations.
Farmers lay the beans out under the sun by day and cover them at night, often wrapping or boxing them. Sunlight and heat reduce moisture, concentrate flavour, and encourage further chemical changes. In the next 3 to 4 weeks, depending on the weather, the beans lose much of their moisture while preserving the oils that carry aroma.
This is the slow crescendo. The beans rest, often in wooden boxes, for multiple months (usually 2 to 6 months). During this time, even after primary drying is complete, the flavour continues to deepen. The notes of chocolate, brown sugar, raisins, and floral honey emerge. Vanillin reaches its full potential, minor volatile compounds mellow or stabilise, and the texture becomes supple and oily. This long finish is what separates ordinary beans from truly great vanilla.
Modern metabolomic studies examining the beans at different stages have begun to chart exactly what is happening inside each pod during curing.
Many industrial producers implement fast-drying techniques. One of the most common methods is to use wood or gas ovens to accelerate the process. These methods tend to sacrifice nuance, including the full spectrum of volatile aromatics, essential oils, and texture that only develop in a slower, natural rhythm.
At Calicova, the insistence on sun-curing preserves more essential oils and a greater range of aroma molecules. The beans remain supple, oily, and flexible, with a glossy black exterior and densely packed vanilla caviar inside. The slower rhythm allows for gradual transformations in chemistry, texture, and flavour.
What makes Calicova Vanilla Maya exceptional is not a single factor but the orchestration of ancient craft, precise timing, natural cycles, and respect for each stage. From pollination at sunrise to the final rest in wooden boxes, each step honours flavour and heritage.
In our era of speed, the bean asks us to wait. To believe that flavour has everything to do with time. And when you taste it, whether in ice cream, pastry, or sauce, you taste more than aroma. You taste patience, place, and people.
The flavour and aromatic profile of our vanilla is influenced by the species, production location, curing process, and storage conditions. This natural setting infuses Vanilla Maya with the terroir, just as fine wine or speciality coffee reflects the soil and soul of its region.
