My beans have a fairly pleasant smell.

I put the beans in my sugar jar, and I have vanilla flavored sugar for coffee.

dcarch

I recently bought a bag of 27 beans from the company linked below for $15. They smell great! I used them to make vanilla ice cream and the flavor was fantastic.

The only other way I've purchased beans is from the grocery store where I have shamelessly paid $10 for ONE bean! Never again!

I've got some vanilla sugar going, vanilla vodka aka vanilla extract, and am flavoring some canned fruit as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: cheap but good vanilla beans

Do the beans have any taste as-is?
Tammy

No, that's not normal at all. I always order mine from Penzey's, knowing I'll get the best quality, freshest product that way. When I open the sealed bag they come in, the aroma of Vanilla permeates the room. I actually keep the plastic bags to use as 'room deoderizers', because they're so fragrant. Have to admit, I've never tasted a bean by itself, so cannot comment on that. But I use mine to make vanilla--15 beans to 750 ml. vodka and after only a few days, the extract is fragrant when I sniff it (although, of course, I let it steep for at least 3 months before using).

I think you got old beans that were possibly improperly stored.

Is it possible to grow the plants that produce the
vanilla beans? If they are tropical, maybe in a pot
on the windowsill? I know that the price of 'real'
liquid vanilla was through the roof, a couple of
years ago. Then again, there's the 'immitation'
vanilla.............How is THAT made?. . . from
artificial vanilla beans?

It's been a couple of years ago but I got great vanilla beans from "vanillaproducts" on eBay.

They came vacuum sealed but, despite the sealed bag, you could still smell the aroma. I'm pretty sure that I ordered the lesser grade of beans even, since I used them to make extract. Didn't taste one though. I think you got a bad batch or an old batch of beans.

Thats what worries me. They didnt come vacuum sealed, just in a ziplock. I can smell them thru the packaging. But to me its just not a strong "vanilla" sent. Unless my sniffer is off.
Tammy

Contact the seller.

I don't think you should have a problem ask to return for exchange.

dcarch