I have always loved the smell of amber in perfumery. Ages ago, I was told by a not-very-well-informed pharmacist-herbalist that amber aroma came from a tree — it was “just the resin” of a fragrant plant from India. I took him at his word until I went into a Beverly Hills aromatherapy boutique and asked for amber essential oil. The clerk grimaced and said: “There is no such thing.” Abashed, I did not ask for an explanation and one was not offered. Investigations commenced.

The scent of “amber” (as most of us know it) is an Indian creation — a blend of fragrant oils, waxes, gums, resins and powders. Amber is used in Ayurvedic medicine as a calming agent; its use relaxes one for enlightening meditation or…good sex. This fragrance blend may have been created to mimic the scent of rare and expensive ambergris — thus the name “amber” (derived from the Arabic word “anbar”, meaning “ambergris”). Amber recipes vary widely, but most contain benzoin, sandalwood, patchouli, and frankincense; myrrh, vetiver, agarwood, cedarwood, and any number of spices and floral notes may be added to the mix…

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