Ambergris 龙涎香

noun
a waxlike substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfume manufacture.

ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French ambre gris ‘gray amber,’ as distinct from amber jaune ‘yellow amber’ (the resin).


An 82-year-old woman sent her 67-year-old sister a Christmas gift, except this one was ugly and weighed four pounds, and she didn't bought it from a store. In fact she found it on a beach 50 years ago and kept it around. The older sister sent it to the younger sister who now lives by the ocean, hoping that she could find out what it was.


So now you guessed it: it might be ambergris, though after the ban on commercial whaling, an expert is still needed to confirm it. Valued at $10 a gram, this Christmas gift could be worth about $18,000. However, the sisters might have a hard time selling it, because endangered species legislation has made buying or selling the stuff illegal since the 1970s.


Ambergris starts as a waxlike substance secreted in the intestines of some sperm whales. The whales eventually expel the dark and foul-smelling blobs to float the ocean. In essence, ambergris is just whale vomit. Then waves, wind, salt and sun do their magic to the whale vomits so they may wash up as solid, fragrant chunks. Ambergris is a rare and often valuable ingredient in fine perfumes.


So next time when you apply a fancy perfume, think that one whale might have helped bringing that fragrance to you.


To see a picture of this ambergris, click here for the NYTimes article. (The link might expire very soon.)