Floating Gold: the history of ambergris

[Paul Ferguson]

"Floating Gold:  A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris, by Christopher Kemp.  Rich, sexy, earthy and enticing:  this precious ingredient is prized by perfumers, yet can’t be ‘harvested’:  it’s simply washed up randomly on beaches, being a by-product of the whale’s digestive process.  (Not so long ago, a stroller on a Dorset beach found a lump of ambergris, alleged to be worth up to £80,000.)  Christopher Kemp has woven a fascinating tale around a single fragrance element, bringing to life ambergris’s place in fragrance history and creation.  A book to make beachcombers of all of us."

https://perfumesociety.org/fragrant-read...ambergris/

https://rb.gy/qpups8