Why do some things (e.g. vanilla) taste amazing when used in minuscule quantities and mixed with other things, but taste disgusting in large quantities?
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I’m not sure if this is true for all the things you are referring to, but specifically with Vanilla:
The “taste” of vanilla actually comes from the volatile compounds that your nose detects and not necessarily from the taste buds themselves – you’re basically smelling vanilla at the same time you are eating, and since taste and smell are closely linked in the brain you get a vanilla “flavor”.
You would think adding more vanilla would make it a stronger vanilla taste, but most commercial vanilla extracts are suspended in alcohol, so if you add a ton of that you’ll get an off-putting taste of ethanol (or if you try to taste vanilla right out of the container by itself). As far as I know, I don’t think you can use too much natural vanilla bean such that it would taste disgusting.
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