Throughout history and to this day, ambergris has been revered for its various properties.

Ancient Egyptians burned ambergris as incense, while in modern Egypt ambergris is used for scenting and flavouring cigarettes. In recent history - the Tobacco Industry was the largest consumer of Ambergris, and it is still used in high end pipe tobacco and natural cigarette tobaccos.

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The ancient Chinese called the substance "Dragon's Spittle Fragrance" or Long Xian Xiang. It is highly valued for both its fragrance, as well as its medical value.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Europeans used ambergris as a medication for headaches, colds, epilepsy, and other ailments. During the Black Death in Europe, people believed that carrying a ball of ambergris mixed with herbs and spices (called a 'Pomander') could help prevent them from getting the plague. This was because the fragrance covered the smell of the air, which was believed to be responsible for the outbreak.

An example of ambergris' use in medicine was the 'Goa stone' or 'Lapis de Goa' which was formulated in the mid seventeenth century by the Portuguese Jesuit, Gaspar Antonio whilst working in Goa.

The antidote against poison or infection (or 'alexipharmic') consisted of amber, ambergris, coral, crushed gemstones, fossil shark teeth, hair, narwhal horn, shells, and tusks which were all pulverized into a paste and shaped into a ball before being sealed in gold leaf. At the time they were highly sought after, extremely costly, and were kept in fanciful gold or silver 'holders' in European apothecary shops. They were popular through till the mid eighteenth century.

Ambergris is used prolifically in the Gulf , primarily as incense, as Attar, and also for its use as a sexual performance enhancer and aphrodisiac.

The Japanese make copious use of ambergris in their highly refined art of Kodo and diversified cultural practice of incense making, particularly in high-end Agarwood-based Senkoh and Nerikoh styles of incense use. It is also valued for its medicinal properties in Japan.

This substance has also been used historically as a flavouring for food and beverages - Charles II King of England was said to have a fondness for eggs with a light dusting of grated ambergris on top! Drinks such as tea, traditional Turkish coffee and even hot chocolate had ambergris added to enhance their taste.