Ambergris: Why Is Whale Vomit Used In Perfumes?

Ambergris is a waxy substance that forms in the intestines of sperm whales around indigestible squid beaks, and is passed out with their feces — so despite the popular nickname “whale vomit”, it is technically closer to whale poop than vomit. Found in only 1–5% of sperm whales, it floats at sea for years, where sunlight and salt water transform it into a fragrant, grey-white substance prized in perfumery as a long-lasting fixative.

When you think of buying perfume, I’m pretty sure whale vomit isn’t the first thing that pops into your mind. However, the perfumers of the world beg to differ. As it turns out, ambergris (whale vomit) is one of the most exotic and expensive fragrances available. Ambergris is worth as much as gold, and at different points in history, it was actually worth three times as much!

Ambergris has been used for its aroma for centuries. In ancient Egypt, ambergris was used as incense. The Chinese called ambergris the “dragon’s spittle fragrance”. During the Black Death in Europe, people believed that carrying ambergris would prevent them from catching the plague. Some cultures considered it an aphrodisiac, while others used it to treat headaches, colds, epilepsy and other diseases.

But what makes whale vomit smell so great? And why does it cost so much?

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What Is Ambergris?

Ambergris is a waxy solid substance formed by the secretion of the bile duct in the intestine of a sperm whale. Even though ambergris is regarded as “whale vomit”, it isn’t technically vomit at all — it’s closer to whale poop — and here’s why.

The sperm whale has a multi-chambered stomach (typically three to four compartments) that looks broadly similar to a cow’s, a relic of cetaceans sharing an ancient ancestor with hoofed mammals. Despite the resemblance, sperm whales are obligate carnivores, not true ruminants — they don’t chew cud or ferment plants. Their diet consists mostly of deep-sea squid (including the giant and colossal squid), along with the occasional fish or shark. As food passes from one stomach chamber to the next, the sharp, indigestible beaks of squid form a dense mass that irritates the stomach lining. The whale often vomits this beak-laden slurry straight back into the ocean. This slurry, however, is NOT ambergris.

Some of the undigested squid beaks enter the intestinal tract of the sperm whale. In the gut, the whale’s body produces a waxy substance that wraps around the prickly mass of beaks in order to protect the intestinal lining.

This waxy substance is a fatty mixture of bile-duct secretions, ambrein and feces. As the mass keeps growing, it moves further along the intestinal tract, where it starts obstructing the rectum. It acts like a dam, causing feces to pile up behind it. Most of the time, the whale eventually manages to pass the whole greasy lump out with its stool. In rare cases, marine biologist Robert Clarke hypothesised, the mass grows so huge that it fatally ruptures the rectum on its way out — though this gory exit is a hypothesis, not an established cause of death.

In other words, ambergris is essentially a very large, very long-aged sperm-whale poop — usually passed naturally, occasionally with rather more drama.

How Does Whale Poop Turn Into An Aromatic Rock?

The freshly defecated ambergris is a black, waxy solid and naturally has a strong fecal odor. It is slightly less dense than the seawater, so it slowly rises above and floats on the water surface for years until it lands on some seashore.

Like a good wine, ambergris has to age well before turning into a poop rock with a lovely smell. While drifting in the sea, the fresh ambergris is baked under the sun, oxidized by the salty water and eroded by the wild tidal waves. Only after undergoing years of chemical hardships does the black whale poop turn into grey, fragrant ambergris.

Chemically, ambergris is dominated by ambrein — a triterpene alcohol (C₃₀H₅₂O) derived from squalene — alongside steroids like epicoprostanol and coprostanone (a reminder of its fecal origins). Curiously, ambrein itself is virtually odorless. The famous fragrance only appears as the lump bobs around at sea: years of sunlight, oxygen and salt water slowly break ambrein down into smaller, intensely aromatic molecules — most notably ambroxide (ambroxan) and ambrinol — which are the real source of that prized scent.

How Does Ambergris Smell?

For centuries, people have struggled to give a unanimous answer to that question. Behind every aroma there are many complex chemicals at play, and ambergris has its own quirky cocktail of them. The trouble is that nothing else really smells quite like it — there is no easy point of reference for the odor — which is exactly what makes ambergris such a novelty in the perfumer’s arsenal.

To make things even more complex, the presence of adulterants complements the aroma of ambergris. Some ambergris has a slight undertone of tobacco, seawater, feces, vanilla, hay or damp earth.

Fresh black ambergris has an animalistic, pungent fecal smell. This is low-grade ambergris that has not matured in the sea for a long enough time and contains less ambrein. The standard ambergris is grey-white in appearance and has aged well in the sea. It has a rich, earthy and salty aroma.

White ambergris has the most refined fragrance of all. A tincture made from it has a sweet and bright scent. White ambergris acts as a fixative and to magnify other notes in the perfume.

Use Of Ambergris In Perfumes

Perfumers use ambergris whenever they can, as it is a good fixative and has a distinctive odor. Ambergris has a strong fixative quality, which allows the fragrance to last longer when applied.

Fun Fact: Queen Elizabeth I used to apply ambergris to her gloves. She did this not only for its exquisite fragrance, but also because of its longevity. Once applied, it would last for years, even after many washes.

Ambergris also acts as a primary note in perfumes. There are many takers of this unique and complex scent in the cosmetic and perfume industry. The scent profile depends on the grade of ambergris used. its indescribable aroma makes it the most sought-after luxury perfume.

Conclusion

Only about 1–5% of sperm whales examined are found to produce ambergris, so hunting one in the hopes of striking it rich would be quite stupid (and, of course, illegal — sperm whales are themselves protected). Sperm whales sit in Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), but CITES doesn’t specifically rule on ambergris; legality is instead decided country by country. In the United Kingdom, most of the EU, New Zealand and the Maldives, beach-found ambergris can legally be sold. In the United States (under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act), Australia (under the EPBC Act) and India (under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972), it is illegal to collect, possess or trade ambergris — even if it washes up on a beach — and people are regularly arrested for smuggling it.

So, the next time you decide to take a walk by the beach, keep an eye out for a weird-smelling rock. If you’re lucky, you might come across a million-dollar poop rock!