Saying "Madagascar vanilla" gives an origin. To choose precisely, selection continues through the region, the terroir, the plant canopy, the climate, the maturity of the pods, the preparation and the maturation.
The SAVA, cradle of selection
ANTOKALY is anchored in north-east Madagascar, around Antalaha and the SAVA region. It is a major area of Malagasy vanilla, marked by the reliefs, the forests, the tropical humidity and a culture of vanilla passed on over time.
This origin counts. It gives access to the plots, the seasons, the maturity of the pods and the preparation techniques that shape vanilla from the start.
Why is it called Bourbon vanilla?
The word Bourbon refers to a history of the Indian Ocean and to vanillas of the Vanilla planifolia type, grown notably in Madagascar and on Réunion, formerly called Île Bourbon.
This name gives a useful reference. At ANTOKALY, selection continues through the plot, the harvest maturity, the preparation, the maturation and the final use. A Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar becomes interesting when its lot tells of a precise material.
One country, several expressions
Vanilla remains an agricultural product. Two lots from Madagascar can show very different profiles. The soil, the altitude, the exposure, the density of the forest canopy, the rain and the moment of harvest shape the aromatic expression.
A Planifolia always stays intense and woody, then moves towards cocoa, butter, rum raisin or a roasted note. A Tahitensis carries its floral and aniseed thread, sometimes fruity or honeyed according to its environment and its conduct.
What the origin really tells
The origin tells the place. The lot tells the aromatic profile. That is why we select vanillas lot by lot.
Agroforestry as a living environment
Vanilla grows as a vine, in an environment where shade, humidity and living soils play a decisive role. In our plots, agroforestry associates vanilla with spices, fruit trees and everything else the forest carries around it.
This living environment takes part in the balance of the plot and in the way the vine matures.
From the plot to the selection
Preparation transforms the green pod into aromatic vanilla. Maturation then extends the work: the oils blend, the secondary notes appear, the length settles in. It is at this moment that the origin becomes fully clear.
The SAVA forms the starting point of a complete selection process: cultivation, preparation, maturation, selection and professional use.
Choosing a Madagascar vanilla
For a chef or culinary house, the challenge is to identify the signature that will carry the creation: deep, floral, round, spicy, fruity, long, structuring or delicate.
The SAVA owes this role to a precise history. The cultivated vine reaches it around 1870, passed on from Bourbon Island. Our article retraces how vanilla reached Madagascar. The island also carried its own wild vanillas long before any plantation. Research then settles on site, with the Ambohitsara vanilla station, on the hills near Antalaha.
Discover also our page on varieties and terroirs, our approach to rare vanillas and our reference on Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar.
Professional reference
Connect the reference to the actual material: touch, scent, infusion and intended use together form a complete reading.
Frequently asked questions
What does the SAVA bring to vanilla?
The SAVA region, in north-east Madagascar, is a major region for Malagasy vanilla. It is marked by relief, forests, tropical humidity and a vanilla culture passed down over time. This origin gives access to the plots, the seasons and the maturity of the pods.
Why read the lots one by one?
Vanilla remains an agricultural product. Two lots from Madagascar can present very different profiles. The soil, the altitude, the exposure, the density of the forest canopy, the rain and the moment of harvest shape the aromatic expression. Origin gives the place, the lot tells the material.