Nielsen-Massey Vanilla beans are hand-picked and the extract tastes like heaven. Try it and you will never purchase regular store-bought extract again. Apparently, a cold extraction process slowly draws the delicate flavor from the vanilla beans. Vanilla extract is made by macerating vanilla beans in a mixture of alcohol and water. When purchasing a bottle, avoid the artificial versions as they they tend to have a weaker, often tinny aftertaste. Splurge for the real stuff here....worth every penny.