- Top notes: orange blossom, reseda
- Middle notes: jasmine, rose, geraniol, benzyl acetate, orris
- Base notes: civet, musk, ambergris, vanilla, vanillin, patchouli, styrax, benzoin, ambrette
Various Ambergris Formulas
Essence of Ambergris:
Take:
- 1/4 ounce Ambergris
- 1/4 ounce Sugar Candy
- 1/2 drachm Musk
- 2 grains Civet
Rub them together, and put the mixture into a Phial : pour upon it a quarter of a pint of tartarifed Spirit of Wine, tightly stopper the Phial, which set in a gentle sand heat for four or five days, and then decant the clear Tincture for use. This makes the best of perfumes; the least touch of it leaves its scent upon any thing a great time; and in constitutions where such sweets are not offensive to the head, nothing can be a more immediate Cordial.
Huile a l'Ambre: Oil of Ambergris; Huile d'Ambergris, or Huile a` l'Ambre Parfum.
Take:
- 4 to 6 drachms finest ambergris
- 1 pint oil (almond, olive, or ben "moringa")
Proceed by infusion. A second quality is made by working the residuum with 1/2 pint of fresh oil.
Concentrated Tincture of Ambergris:
Essence of Ambergris; or Concentrated Tincture of Ambergris.
Take:
- 10 drachms 95 per cent, ambergris
- 1 pint rectified spirit
Put them into a strong bottle or tin can, secure the mouth perfectly and very firmly, and keep the vessel in a room exposed to the heat of the sun, or equally warm, for a month or two, observing to briskly agitate it daily during the whole time. Lastly, after repose, decant the clear portion, and, if necessary, filter it rapidly through soft blotting paper.
Very fine. It forms the strongest and finest simple essence of ambergris of the Paris houses, The common practice in making the essence is to cut the ambergris up small before digesting it; but a much better plan is to rub down both the ambergris and musk with a little powdered glass, clean silicious sand, or dry lump-sugar, observing afterwards to rinse the mortar out well two or three times, with portions of the spirit, so that nothing may be lost.
A second quality may be made by employing half the quantity of ambergris to the same amount of spirit.
Essence of Ambergris:
- 10 drachms Ambergris
- 3 drachms grain musk (Tonquin or Chinese pure)
- 1 quart rectified spirit
Proceed as in the last receipt. The products of the above two receipts form a delightful perfume highly esteemed in the fashionable world. A very small quantity of any one of them added to eau de Cologne, lavender-water, tooth-powder, hair-powder, pomades, wash-balls, etc., communicates a delicious fragrance.
A few drops added to sweet-scented spirits, liqueurs, wines, etc., improve their flavor and aroma. 1 or 11/2 fluid drachms added to a hogshead of claret, imparts a flavor and bouquet to the wine which is regarded by many as delicious.
Extrait d'Ambre:
- 1/2 pint Esprit de rose triple
- 1 pint Extract of ambergris
- 1/4 pint Essence of musk
- 2 oz Extract of vanilla
This perfume has such a lasting odor, that a handkerchief being well perfumed with it, will still retain an odor even after it has been washed.
The fact is, that both musk and ambergris contain a substance which clings pertinaciously to woven fabrics, and not being soluble in weak alkaline lyes, is still found upon the material after passing through the lavatory ordeal.
Powdered ambergris is used in the manufacture of cassolettes—little ivory or bone boxes perforated—which are made to contain a paste of strong-smelling substances, to carry in the pocket or reticule; also in the making of peau d'Espagne, or Spanish skin, used for perfuming writing paper and envelopes, and which will be described hereafter.
Tincture of Ambergris.
Powder thoroughly 1 ounce ambergris and 1/2 ounce sugar in a warm mortar; then dissolve 1/2 ounce carbonate of potash in 14 ounces alcoholate of roses, and add to it 31/2 ounces tincture of musk; macerate the whole for about 1 month, and filter.
Eau d'Ambre Royale:
Rectified spirit 2 lbs., tincture of musk seed 1 lb., essence of ambergris 1 oz., tincture of musk 1 oz., reduced with a proper proportion of orange-flower water.
Ambre Royal:
- Musk 3/8 dr
- Patchouly Oil 3/8 dr
- Resedageraniol 3/4 dr
- Vanillin 1 1/4 dr
- Ambergris 1 1/2 dr
- Benzyl Acetate 6 1/2 dr
- Styrax Solution 9 1/4 dr
- Benzoin Solution 12 dr
- Ambergris Tincture 2 oz
- Vanillin Solution 2 oz
- Musk Solution 2 oz
- Jasmine 4 oz
- Rose 4 oz
Ambergris: This substance which is found floating in the sea or is thrown up by the waves upon the shores of various countries is now generally believed to be produced in the intestines of the sperm whale. The best gray ambergris is quite expensive but is the only one worth buying.
Ambergris Essence:
- Ambergris 5 dr
- grain musk Tonquin or Chinese pure 1 dr
- essence d'ambrette or purple sweet sultan 1 qt
This produces the finest quality of the London West End and Paris houses.
Ambergris Extract:
- Spirit of rose 3 OZ
- tincture of ambergris 8 oz
- tincture of musk 4 oz
- tincture of vanilla 1 oz
Cost about 6 per pt. Where permanence is desired this can be recommended.
L'Eau de Ambre Royale:
- 1 drachm essence of ambergris
- 1 drachm essence of musk
- 2 1/2 fluid ounces eau d'Ambrette
- 2 1/2 fluid ounces eau de fleurs d'oranges
- 5 fluid ounces rectified spirit
Mix. Very agreeable and durable.
Extrait d'Ambre:
- Rose extrait
- Essence of ambergris
- Essence of musk
- Essence of vanilla
- Rose water
Ambergris Tincture:
- Ambergris 2 dr
- powdered orris root 2 dr
- deodorized alcohol 16 oz
Grind the ambergris and orris a mortar until reduced to a fine powder transfer to a bottle and add the alcohol. Macerate for 30 days and filter paper.
