Vanilla pompona is extremely scarce as not many farmers grow this bean for profit. The pods are short, thick, and packed with vanilla seeds. They take longer to cure compared to the planifolia variety because of their plump nature. 
 
SIZE: Each bean measures between 4-7 inches. 
 
APPEARANCE: Grade A (Gourmet) Pompona beans are moist and sticky from the glossy oils that each bean naturally produces during the curing process. They are pliable and plump and contain a generous amount of caviar per bean. They can be used in savory dishes, desserts, and extracts alike.
 
AROMA: Pompona vanilla is more perfumy and floral than planifolia vanilla with undernotes of cherries, figs, and cloves. The beans smell like a sweet bouquet of exotic flowers and can even have a candy-like scent akin to creamy marshmallows.