Ambergris is a waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales that helps the passage of food which contains hard indigestible material, such as squid beaks. It either passes through their digestive system and is expelled like faecal matter, or it is ejected through the mouth. Fresh ambergris has a strong, unpleasant faecal scent but as it floats in the ocean, over time being exposed to the elements, it develops a much more subtle, slightly sweet and salty refined fragrance. Lumps of ambergris wash up on shores and this is how it gets into the hands of perfumers who have been using it as a fixative for centuries.

As well as extending olfactory notes, ambergris lifts the scents it is mixed with, making them sparkle. It also smooths out differing notes and makes perfumes more refined.