Plant-based musk or ambrette
Abelmoschus moschatus or hibiscus Abelmoschus
Ambrette is the champagne of scents, it is truly a high-end product that few brands and perfumers use. It is a plant-based musk, with great finesse and very elegant scents.
The ambrette is native to India and the tropical forests of Asia, it is found on the equator north of Guayaquil, in Indonesia, Peru and India. About 60 tons of seeds are produced each year.
This plant, which belongs to the hibiscus family, is used to obtain the precious ambrette seeds. This plant is an annual, its cultivation requires enormous care, such as the cleaning of weeds that could easily suffocate the plant, a continuous weeding is therefore necessary.
The plant must also be protected by men armed with blank guns against predators such as parakeets, which love the seeds, during the entire harvest period from the end of May to the end of August. The ambrette is very often attacked by parasites, which is why the seeds are stored at an altitude of around 3000 metres, in order to protect them from parasites.
History, legend of the ambrette seed
Amber seeds were used for their relaxing and stimulating properties, but also for their antiseptic and aphrodisiac powers. The ambrette was also used to perfume and powder the hair. They freshen the breath and can also be made into an emulsion with milk to relieve itching. The seeds are sometimes added to coffee. It is also an ingredient in some traditional herbal liqueurs, such as Benedictine, and also in Williams pear liqueur.
The origin of ambrette seeds
They are obtained from a plant that is the cousin of the hibiscus, up to 3.5 m tall, with large sulphur yellow flowers with a brown throat. Once they have bloomed, the Hibiscus flowers wither and give way to a pod containing the seeds.
The plant is known for its seeds.
The fruits are large capsules that start out green and turn brown, and contain many seeds that look like tiny snails, which are then dried.
As the pods ripen gradually on the same stem, and as the plantations are not always in the same state of progress, the harvest period is from the end of May to August.
The ambrette is so called because its seeds give off a very pleasant odour between amber and musk. The seeds are surrounded by a seed coat containing an oil, a kind of yellow resin that gives the seed its special smell, which is even more noticeable when crushed.
Harvesting and production of the ambrette seed
Harvesting is done by hand, and the yield is very low, which explains its very high price.
The treatment is done by distillation, it gives an essential oil improperly called ambrette butter because of its pasty consistency. The essence is insoluble and difficult to use.
A second stage of production is therefore necessary, which consists of removing the palmitic acid. This gives the final product which is called ambrette absolute. The Floral Concept company helped me discover a superb quality.
Supercritical CO2 extraction seems interesting, as this method is more suitable for the entrainment of heavy molecules, so the yield is much better and of very good quality.
It is a base note, but it is so vibrant that you can feel its scent from the top notes. Ambrette seed can be combined with all olfactory families: citrus, floral, oriental and other musky notes.
The ambrette seeds can be sent to Grasse for processing, making sure that they are protected from humidity, as they can easily go mouldy.
Scent of ambrette
It is in fact a plant musk with the natural presence of ambrettolide (a very musky, powdery molecule), not to be confused with Musk Ambrette, a toxic nitrated musk, now banned in perfumery.
It is also an ambery, sweet, musky, slightly animal scent, with a fruity facet between pear notes (reminiscent of the famous Williams pear or plum brandy). One can also detect a slight floral facet such as that of the iris. It is a product of exceptional power and tenacity.
I discovered the wonderful musky scent of ambrette seed in the development of Champs Élysées by Guerlain.
You can also smell this ambrette seed scent in Musk Koublaï Khän, in Clair de Musc by Serge Lutens, in Bois Farine by L'Artisan Parfumeur, as well as in Voyage by Hermès, Égoïste and N°19 by Chanel and also in Dovana by Sylvaine Delacourte. It is rich in farnesol: a note that approaches lily of the valley. It costs approximately 9,000 euros per litre.
Sylvaine Delacourte perfumes
Discover Sylvaine Delacourte's brand with her Orange Blossom, Musk and Vanilla Collections. You can try them thanks to the Discovery Boxes (5 Eaux de Parfum x 2 ml) and rediscover these raw materials as you have never smelled them before.