What does ambergris smell like?

Chemist Gunther Ohloff once described ambergris as 'humid, earthy, faecal, marine, algoid, tobacco-like, sandalwood-like, sweet, animal, musky and radiant'. Others comment that it can smell a bit like the wood in old churches, or Brazil nuts.

perfumesociety.org - Ambergris - The Perfume Society

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Much was made, not long ago, of the discovery on a British beach of a whacking great lump of greyish-beige waxy material – which turned out to be worth thousands of pounds. That was ambergris, one of the most valuable and legendary ingredients in perfumery, prized for its ability as a fixative, to enhance a fragrance’s staying power by anchoring the more volatile ingredients, and ‘round it out’. It’s basically whale poo. Yes, really: ambergris is produced in the digestive system of sperm whales – to make it easier for the whale to digest shard objects (like squid beaks), so it’s thought. Usually, the whale vomits these sharp bits. If not, they travel further down the gut and are covered in ambergris: a sticky, gelatinous material which dries to a lump with a resinous texture and then floats on the surface, ending up on beaches in places like South Africa, the East Indies, China, Japan, New Zealand – even Dorset. When it’s first produced, it’s useless as a fragrance ingredient – definitely faecal, at that point. As it ages, the smell matures and develops beautifully, and before it can be used perfumery, it must be diluted with alcohol. Chemist Gunther Ohloff once described ambergris as ‘humid, earthy, faecal, marine, algoid, tobacco-like, sandalwood-like, sweet, animal, musky and radiant’. Others comment that it can smell a bit like the wood in old churches, or Brazil nuts. It’s been used in fragrance for millennia: the ancient Egyptians burned ambergris as incense, while the Chinese referred to ambergris as ‘dragon’s spittle fragrance’. During the Black Death in Europe, it was believed that carrying a ball of ambergris could prevent plague. Wild-harvested supplies are obviously extremely erratic – and many countries have outlawed the trade of ambergris, as part of a more general ban on the exploitation and hunting of sperm whales, so ambergris tends to be created synthetically. Although it’s called ‘grey amber’ (ambergris), it’s not to be confused with amber. There’s an entire book dedicated to the story of ambergris: Floating Gold. Read more about it here. NB This visual is of the painting Fumée d’Ambergris by John Singer Sargent

Smell ambergris in:

Balmain Ambre Gris

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What does old ambergris look like?

Ambergris is most often white, grey, black or brown in colour or even a mixture of these shades. The colours are typically dull and earthy and the texture is often hard, like rock or dry clay.

ambergris.co.nz - How to identify ambergris, ambergris shape, colour, size and smell ...

What does ambergris smell like

So, what does it smell like? Well, it’s complicated. Ambergris has an odour which is difficult to explain to anyone who has never had the pleasure of its sensual aroma. There is no denying that it is odd with its combination of sweetness and raw animal potency. For those who grow to love its exquisite yet elusive notes; the contradiction is part of this attraction. Ambergris is often described as being musky and having a sweet earthy aroma unlike any other or a mossy fragrance reminiscent of the damp forest floor. Add a dash of ocean spray, a hint of cigar, a good amount of sweetness and a little odour of the stable floor to complete the recipe for this exotic fragrance blend. Ask 10 different people to describe their impression of the ambergris fragrance and you may receive 10 different answers. In the first instance; the fragrance will vary greatly depending on the quality of a particular piece. Then there is the fragrance perception unique to us all where an odour so pleasant to one person is offensive to another. Given that ambergris originates in the bottom of a whale; there is a general (and not unreasonable) expectation that ambergris will have a strong and foul odour. This is not the case. The base animal (manure) odour fades as ambergris cures in the ocean. In general, lighter coloured pieces of ambergris have a subtle, pleasant fragrance. The white and grey varieties, in particular, possess the subtle, sweet addictive aroma which is so highly prized and brings such rich rewards for the dedicated beachcomber.

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