Genuine ambergris is extraordinarily rare, produced naturally by only some sperm whales, and typically only found by chance, washed ashore after being expelled and aged at sea for months or years. That combination of rarity, luck and a lengthy natural ageing process is what drives the price so high.

An Unusual Supply Chain

There is no farming or reliable production method for ambergris, it simply has to be found, usually by someone walking a beach at exactly the right time. Freshly expelled ambergris also has very little pleasant scent, it needs months or years of natural weathering in salt water and sun to develop the complex, prized fragrance collectors and perfumers actually want.

Why Most Perfumes Use an Alternative

Given how rare and unpredictable genuine ambergris supply is, the overwhelming majority of modern perfumes use synthetic ambergris substitutes instead, which recreate a similar effect reliably and ethically. Some historic perfume houses built entire legendary formulas around a small stock of genuine ambergris, which partly explains why those original blends are now almost impossible to fully recreate. Our guide to amber and resins in fragrance covers this properly, and our complete guide to perfume has more on rare and precious fragrance materials.