What is amber? Ambergris, the amber accord and how they differ
Two different things share the name. One comes from whales and is rare, the other is a warm, sweet accord made by perfumers. The difference, and the types.
In perfumery the word amber means two different things, and they are easy to mix up. In Arabic, عنبر usually means ambergris, the natural substance. The “amber” note in a perfume pyramid is usually the amber accord.
Ambergris (natural amber)
Ambergris is a waxy substance formed inside the digestive system of sperm whales and released by the whale. It floats on the sea for years and is slowly aged by sun, salt and water, from dark and strong-smelling to pale and soft. It smells marine, sweet, a little musky and skin-like. It is rare and very costly, and the rules on collecting and trading it vary from country to country.
- Black ambergris: fresh, dark and strong-smelling. The least prized.
- Grey ambergris: aged and softer, widely seen as high quality.
- White ambergris: the most aged, light and sweet-smelling. The most prized.
Today most perfumes use synthetic ambergris-type molecules, such as Ambroxan, instead. A perfume that lists “ambergris” in its notes usually means that ambergris effect.
The amber accord
The “amber” note is usually an accord: a blend of warm, sweet, resinous materials such as labdanum, benzoin and vanilla. It smells golden, warm, sweet and slightly powdery, and it is very common in Arabic and winter perfumes.
- Classic or sweet amber: labdanum and vanilla, warm and sweet.
- Dry or woody amber: drier, with an ambergris-like, woody feel.
- Dark or resinous amber: more labdanum and incense-like resins, deeper and smokier.
The amber stone (fossilised tree resin) used in jewellery is not what perfumers use. It has very little smell.
Amber in our shop
- Supremacy Silver Ambergris in the base with musk, oakmoss and vanilla, under pineapple and birch.
- Club de Nuit Intense Man Musk, ambergris, patchouli and vanilla in the base, under lemon, pineapple and birch.
- Island Tonka, sandalwood, amber and ambergris in the base, under pineapple, iris and coconut.
- Turathi Electric Musk, amber and vanilla in the base, under pear, grapefruit and mandarin. A light, sweet amber.
- Seasons Drift Sandalwood, labdanum, amber and resin in the base, under citrus and pink pepper. A drier, resinous amber.
