The Glass Atelier

Ambergris Tincture — Grey Quality

€20,00

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Ambergris forms inside a sperm whale and matures over years adrift at sea. This handcrafted grey-grade tincture balances a sensual, clean and delicate animalic character with a soft, saline and elegantly mineral marine facet. Supplied unfiltered, with the material inside, so it can continue to evolve.

＋ 01 — Origin

Ambergris is a waxy substance formed in the intestines of the sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus. It has been proposed that ambergris helps the animal expel hard objects, such as the beaks of the squid it eats, which are sometimes found inside ambergris pieces.

The sperm whale expels it into the sea, where it may float for years before reaching shore. During this journey, sunlight, oxygen and saltwater transform its colour, texture and smell.

＋ 02 — The four grades of ambergris

White. The brightest, softest and airiest expression. Marine, saline and mineral facets stand out, with a faint animalic character.

Grey. A balance of oceanic, musky and slightly tobacco-like nuances. Its refined animalic side is clean and enveloping.

Brown. Deeper, warmer and distinctly more animalic, with earthy, tobacco-like and seaweed facets.

Black. The darkest and most intense expression. It may present fecal, fishy and other pronounced animalic notes.

These designations summarise common profiles, not absolute categories: every piece varies according to its ageing at sea.

＋ 03 — Preparation and olfactory profile

Ambergris is macerated in alcohol and the tincture is supplied unfiltered, with the material inside. It needs time to mature and fully develop its profile, and its aroma may evolve over the months.

Its aroma comes mainly from ambrein, the primary constituent of ambergris, and from molecules formed through oxidation, such as ambroxide and ambrinol.

The tincture. A sensual, clean and delicate animalic character, with a soft, saline and mineral marine facet and musky, slightly tobacco-like nuances.

＋ 04 — Uses in perfumery

We chose this grade for its versatility. It accompanies delicate flowers with discreet sensuality and depth, without concealing their floral identity: rather than dominating a composition, it enriches it.

Soft florals: rose, jasmine, orris and blue lotus.
Musks and skin accords: depth without aggressive animalic notes.
Amber and woody accords: fixation and a marine impression.

＋ Bibliography

Clarke, R. (2006). The origin of ambergris. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 5(1): 7–21.
Chemical transformation and biological activities of ambrein (2007). Journal of Natural Products 70(2): 147–153.

If you are looking for a warmer, more animalic facet, discover our brown ambergris tincture. For its history and how to identify it, visit our guide Ambergris: what it is and how to identify it.

We ship from Spain worldwide, tracked and in protective packaging for glass and delicate materials. The rate is fixed per order and depends only on the country: you can see it next to the buy button. See the details in our shipping policy.

Store in a cool, dark place, tightly closed and away from direct light. Natural materials are alive: over time they can round out and gain depth.

Each lot is treated as an individual material, with its own origin, process and evolution. We state provenance, extraction method and year whenever available.

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