In essence

This is my kind of project and it involves a cheap bottle of vodka. You start it, leave it for 2-6 months or so, then reap the rewards. Hello vanilla extract!

I have been lucky enough to have a wonderful friend bring back a whole lot of vanilla beans from Bali over the last couple of years. I had five or so left over from the last batch and they weren't going to waste. The beans were split and scraped them into the jar and topped with vodka. The jar needs to be stored in a cool dark place. You can even top it up with used (clean) beans along the way.