Aged vanilla extract?

Anonymous writes: Is vanilla extract aged? How long should it be aged? Is vanilla extract from the store aged?

It's generally said that vanilla extract should be aged for one year for the best flavor. Gourmet commercial extract producers may store finished extract for weeks or up to a year, but unless it's labeled there is no way to know for sure.

Homemade extract is aged in the bottle during extraction — some say this yields the best flavor.

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