Does pure organic vanilla go bad? My local grocery store gave me 10 bottles that expire in one week.

My Madecasse Vanilla says it gets better with age....

I've never heard of stale vanilla extract. Does alcohol go bad? It evaporates but I don't think it 'goes bad'. I mean that's what extract is mostly made of...vanilla and alcohol.

I'm pretty sure I had some vanilla go bad. Since closing the shop, I obviously dont' make as many cakes as I used to and one I made recently had a funny taste to the icing. The only variable was the age of the vanilla ... everything else was recently purchased. I had paid $15 for this big bottle at my cake supply store here in town; had over half of it left and threw it out.

I had the same question so once I called "Sonoma Syrup Co." and asked them the same thing. They told me natural flavorings do not go bad as long as they are kept in a dark cool place (no need for refrigeration) with the lid closed properly. They might lose their flavor and come less fragrant over long time but they will not go bad.
The lady also mentioned not to keep flavors in refrigerator but at room temperature in a darker place, like inside a cabinet.
HTH