Bourbon vanilla isn’t booze, it’s is a designation for vanilla grown on the Indian Ocean islands — almost always Madagascar but sometimes Réunion, the Comoros and Mauritius. It’s the ame species as Mexican vanilla but with a different terroir and different curing.
Bourbon has nothing to do with whiskey. Réunion was called Île Bourbon until 1848, and the name attached itself to the vanilla the island exported. Madagascar now grows the large majority of the world’s crop.
Bourbon vanilla is the vanilla flavor most people carry in their heads — it’s rich, creamy, sweet, and heavy on vanillin. Tahitian vanilla is a different species and leans more floral. If a pastry chef specifies Bourbon, they’re going for depth rather than perfume.
Where we’ve eaten it:
Benjamin Schmitt (2026) — Vanille Bourbon de Madagascar, gavotte croustillante, crème vanille, glace pécan caramélisé.