Seamus Hammond
Ambergris, often referred to as whale vomit, is a highly valued ingredient in perfumery. It is a natural by-product of the sperm whale, formed in its bile duct and intestines. Due to its rarity, high cost, and legal ambiguity, perfumers have largely replaced ambergris with synthetic alternatives such as ambroxide. However, the unique, earthy scent of ambergris remains sought after, with some perfumers like Emirates Pride offering authentic ambergris fragrances. Online retailers like Amazon also offer a range of ambergris perfumes, allowing buyers to experience this classic fragrance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Price | $25 for a gram of the highest-quality ambergris, $10 per gram for the lowest quality, and $5,000 per pound for true ambergris |
| Scent | Warm, earthy, spicy, with vanilla undertones |
| Synthetic options | Ambergris from Demeter Fragrance Library, synthetic options from Amazon |
| Natural options | Emirates Pride |
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What You'll Learn
Amazon
The Ambergris Pure Perfume Oil is an A-grade, handmade product made using high-quality natural ambergris macerated in a vanilla, Indian sandalwood, benzoin, and labdanum base. This oil has a deep, complex, and pleasant fragrance with strong amber notes. It is designed to provide a subtle and consistent aroma throughout the day. This product is for external use only and should be kept out of the reach of children.
In addition to the oil perfumes, Amazon.co.uk offers a selection of ambergris perfumes, including those from small businesses. These perfumes vary in price, with some as low as £5.00 and others ranging from £17.99 to £19.95. Amazon.co.uk also offers free delivery on eligible orders and provides information about small businesses partnering with Amazon.
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$28.86 $30.76
Demeter Fragrance Library
One of their more distinctive fragrances is Ambergris, a warm, earthy, and spicy scent with vanilla undertones. True Ambergris is a whale by-product and is extremely expensive, so Demeter uses a synthetic alternative that retains the animalistic musk of the original.
Demeter's Dark Flowers Collection is another unique offering, featuring imaginary flowers with mesmerizing fragrances. The Transfixed fragrance from this collection combines Ylang Ylang and Red Poppies with Tobacco Leaves and Black Vanilla Bean, resulting in a sexy and alluring scent.
In addition to these distinctive fragrances, Demeter also offers a range of classic scents, including Grass, Jasmine, Lavender, and Bulgarian Rose. Their cologne sprays are available in various sizes, with prices starting at $25.00.
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Emirates Pride
One of their notable fragrances is Ambergris, a unisex scent launched in 2017. This perfume was inspired by the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, as it is narrated that he liked the smell of amber a lot. To create this fragrance, Emirates Pride collaborated with German perfumer Olaf Larsen, who specialises in Ambergris-based perfumes. The result is a luxurious, fresh Oriental fragrance with a vibrant top note of mandarin orange, a heart note of leather, and base notes of ambergris and agarwood (oud). The citrusy top note adds a burst of brightness, while the leather heart note provides a warm, smoky facet. As the scent settles, the base notes blend earthy warmth with an intoxicating sweetness.
You can purchase the Ambergris fragrance directly from the Emirates Pride website or through authorised retailers such as remiScent, a unique fragrance store that offers a curated collection of niche, indie, artisan, and designer perfumes. remiScent provides fragrance samples, allowing customers to experience the richness of the Ambergris scent before purchasing. However, due to the custom nature of their samples, they have specific terms and conditions regarding returns and exchanges.
With its dedication to excellence and distinctive fragrances, Emirates Pride has established itself as a prominent perfume brand in the Middle East, staying true to its vision and offering unique olfactory experiences to customers worldwide.
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Differentiating between synthetic and natural ambergris
Ambergris is a rare, natural byproduct of the sperm whale's squid-based diet. It is formed from a secretion of the bile duct in the intestines of the sperm whale and can be found floating on the sea or washed up on coastlines. It is also sometimes found in the abdomens of dead sperm whales.
Due to its rarity and cost, synthetic chemicals have now replaced natural ambergris in all but the most expensive perfumes. Synthetic ambergris is derived from balsam fir trees called cis-abienol. It is produced synthetically in the laboratory using sclareol, a natural ingredient extracted from clary sage.
Natural ambergris has a sweet, earthy scent, while synthetic ambergris has an animalic smell. One user describes synthetic ambergris as "strong and lasts quite a while. It has an animalic smell. Can't say it's pleasant but also can't say it's unpleasant... it's just different."
Synthetic ambergris is also used in the incense industry and tobacco industry in India. Synthetic alternatives to ambergris are encouraged to prevent whales from being viewed as a resource that humans can exploit.
Some perfumes that use natural ambergris include Mitsouko by Guerlain, Ambre Nuit by Dior, and Fleurs de Bulgarie by Creed.
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How to test if it's real ambergris
Ambergris is a highly variable substance, making it difficult to identify. It comes in many colours, shapes, and textures, and each piece has a unique smell. If you have never seen, touched, or smelt it before, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to identify it. The best way to identify it is to have it laboratory-tested. However, there are some things you can look out for to determine whether something is likely to be ambergris or not.
Firstly, its appearance. Ambergris is most often white, grey, black, or brown, or a mixture of these shades. The colours are typically dull and earthy, and the texture is often hard, like rock or dry clay, although it can also be sticky and pliable, or brittle and grainy. Rounded and oval shapes are common, although it can come in almost any shape. If it has a clearly defined square or rectangular shape, it is probably not ambergris. Fresh black ambergris is usually soft, but it is more common to find it in its hard form. If it is hard, you should be able to break or dent the surface with something sharp, like your fingernail. It should feel lighter than an equivalent-sized stone.
Secondly, its smell. Fresh ambergris smells strongly and unpleasantly of manure, cow dung, or horse droppings. This smell fades as the ambergris cures in the ocean, and lighter-coloured pieces tend to have a subtle, pleasant fragrance. The smell of ambergris is difficult to describe, but it has been likened to a sweet, lingering fragrance with a subtle blend of wet, marine, musky, and animal notes, moss, leather, and tobacco.
Thirdly, its reaction to heat. Ambergris melts at a relatively low temperature of around 62-70°C. You can test this by heating the tip of a needle until very hot and laying it flat on the surface of the item for 3-4 seconds. If it is ambergris, the surface will melt instantly. You can also burn a small piece in a spoon. If it is ambergris, it will form a black and sticky substance which makes fibres when placed between the thumb and forefinger.
Finally, look out for squid or calamari beaks. These are small, black, shiny, shell-like pieces embedded in the ambergris. They are more common in the coating of large blocks than in kidneys.
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Frequently asked questions
You can buy ambergris perfume from Amazon, Emirates Pride, and Demeter Fragrance Library.
Ambergris has a strong manure or marine, fecal odour when fresh. As it ages, it acquires a sweet, earthy scent with vanilla undertones.
Ambergris is rare and expensive, with true ambergris costing over $5,000 per pound. The highest quality ambergris is sold for $25 per gram, while the lowest quality is $10 per gram.
Ambergris is a solid, waxy, flammable substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales. It is a whale by-product and has been used in perfumery for its fixative properties, although it has largely been replaced by synthetic ambroxide.
