Ambergris in perfume: what it smells like and which FAAN bottles use it

Ambergris is the most mysterious word on the notes list. It sounds rare and animal, and for centuries it was. In a perfume today the word mainly tells you about a smell. Here is what that smell is, and where it sits in the Amjad line.

What ambergris smells like, and what it does not

It does not smell fishy. Think warm skin after a day by the sea: a little salt, a little sweetness, a soft musky radiance, maybe a trace of leather or tobacco. It is airy rather than heavy, and it makes the notes around it glow.

Historically ambergris was a waxy material formed in sperm whales and found washed up on beaches. It was rare and expensive. Perfumery today mostly uses ambergris-type aroma materials. The note name tells you how a perfume smells, and we do not have information on which material a particular bottle contains.

How perfumers use ambergris: top, heart or base

Ambergris is a base note. It is quiet but long-lasting, and it adds diffusion, which means a base that reaches further instead of sitting flat. It also makes resins and woods feel softer. It is not a top or heart note, and it rarely stars. You notice the glow in the last hours.

Ambergris in the FAAN range

Three bottles list ambergris, all in the base, and all three are Extraits from the Amjad line:

• Amjad Honour: with vanilla, amber, oud and benzoin. Projection 4 out of 5, longevity 5 out of 5.
• Amjad Kingdom: with labdanum, musk and Amber Xtreme. The tagline says violet, resin and ambergris. Projection 4 out of 5, longevity 5 out of 5.
• Amjad Mystery: with sandalwood, vanilla and Akigalawood. Projection 3 out of 5, longevity 4 out of 5.

What ambergris is paired with in these pyramids

• Vanilla, amber, oud and benzoin (Honour) make a dark, sweet, resinous base, and ambergris keeps it from sitting flat.
• Labdanum, musk and Amber Xtreme (Kingdom) make a powdery, resinous glow under violet and styrax.
• Sandalwood, vanilla and Akigalawood (Mystery) make a creamy wood, with ambergris adding a salty lift under hazelnut, saffron and rose.

Three bases, three different results. In Honour it is dark. In Kingdom it is powdery. In Mystery it is creamy.

Wearing advice: season, sprays and who tends to like it

All three are listed for autumn and winter. Honour and Kingdom are listed for evenings and special occasions. Mystery is listed for date nights and special occasions. Two or three sprays are plenty of an Extrait. Ambergris is subtle, so people who like it often like quiet, skin-close warmth more than loud perfume. If you prefer fresh and light scents, you may find these bottles too deep.

For more on how to apply an Extrait so the base shows at its best, read how to wear an extrait.

If you like ambergris, start with Amjad Honour

Honour is one of our best sellers and the most familiar way into the note. The Amjad Honour review walks through its pyramid. For a softer, creamier approach, Mystery. For a powdery one, Kingdom. The Extraits ranked compares them on value. See all FAAN perfumes, or use which FAAN perfume to choose.

FAQ

Is ambergris just amber?

No. Amber on a notes list is a warm, sweet, resinous accord. Ambergris is a salty, musky, skin-like note. Honour and Kingdom list both.

Does ambergris come from whales?

Historically, yes. A notes list describes how a perfume smells, not which material was used, and we do not have information on the raw materials of a particular bottle. If this matters to you, ask us through the contact page.

What if a bottle is sold out?

Ask to be notified on the product page. Orders take 3 to 6 working days in the Netherlands and 5 to 8 working days in the rest of the EU.

Related reading

• How to wear an extrait: fewer sprays, better placement
• FAAN Amjad Honour review: notes, strength and when to wear it
• The five FAAN Extraits ranked for value, strength and wearability