68 Griffithii Vanilla from Thaïland

Natural Griffithii Vanilla
Origin: Thaïland
Terroir: Khon Kaen
Harvest: 2026
Curing: tbc
Refining: tbc
 
Vanilla griffithii is an interesting plant, though probably not in the sense of ‘classic baking vanilla’. For vanilla growers working with forest diversity, rare species and unusual flavour profiles, it clearly deserves attention. Seth Charoenwong (aka Tillilla) cultivates several Thai forest species, including Vanilla Variegata and Griffithii, among other endemic Vanilla species.
 
Botanically speaking, it already stands out from the crowd. A paleotropical species from South-East Asia —Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, the Malay Peninsula— it has large, fairly broad leaves and cream to pale yellow flowers with a pinkish base, described as very fragrant, similar to certain Vanda species; its flower is perhaps one of the most fascinating features of this species. Its fruits are relatively short (~7 cm according to current descriptions).
 
As for its aromatic profile, it deserves further study, particularly regarding how to refine it, as we are entering an area where there is very little analytical literature. We do not yet have robust GC-MS/GC-O data comparable to that for Planifolia, Tahitensis, Pompona, Odorata, Cribbiana, etc. However, several indications suggest it may have high floral potential. Wild Asian species often yield profiles that are less ‘baked vanilla’ and more floral, green, spicy, resinous, sometimes aniseed or balsamic. Given the very pronounced floral scent of the flowers, we would not be surprised to find a floral profile featuring white flowers, honey and orchid, yellow fruits and sweet resin, rather than a heavy vanillin profile.
 
The fruit is described as sweet. This is not yet proof of its aromatic qualities, but it is interesting: many forest species are poorly studied and sometimes undervalued, even though they have real sensory potential.
 
From a purely botanical perspective, its morphological similarity to Vanilla palembanica and the Asian species in this group is particularly interesting, as it allows us to move beyond the Planifolia and Tahitensis Vanilla duo and restore forest natural biodiversity.
 
Once the harvest is ripe and fully matured, they would benefit from different maturation methods to highlight their organoleptic qualities, for example:
Batch A: gentle drying without scalding (Tahitensis Polynesia style).
Batch B: light sweating without scalding.
Batch C: 12–24 months’ wood ageing.
Followed by analyses of moisture content, GC-MS, SPME volatiles and sensory profile, CO₂ extraction, and cane sugar alcohol maceration, as it could yield something very much like a “botanical cosmetic fragrance”.
 
My intuition is that it might be closer to a bridge between floral Tahitensis and certain fruity Pompona varieties than to a classic Planifolia. Seth has already produced matured Vanilla Griffithii pods, and soon after the curing is actually done we will be able to carry out comparative analyses with the species already analysed, and perhaps come across a real surprise.
 
Indicative pod length: +-7 cm; as a natural product, pod length, width and individual weight may vary from pod to pod.
Moisture: tbc
Vanillin: tbc
 
 
NOT FOR SALES (YET)