Ambergris is found in lumps of various shapes and sizes, usually weighing from  to  or more. When initially expelled by or removed from the whale, the fatty precursor of ambergris is pale white in color (sometimes streaked with black), soft, with a strong fecal smell. Following months to years of photodegradation and oxidation in the ocean, this precursor gradually hardens, developing a dark grey or black color, a crusty and waxy texture, and a peculiar odor that is at once sweet, earthy, marine, and animalic.
Ambergris is found as lumps of various shapes and sizes, typically weighing from  to  or more. Initially expelled by or removed from the whale, it has a pale white color with black streaks, a soft texture, and a strong fecal smell. Following months to years of exposure to sunlight and oxidation in the ocean, this precursor hardens into a dark grey or black substance with a crusty and waxy texture and a unique odor that combines sweet, earthy, marine, and animalic notes.