Osmanthus is a floral note extracted from the tiny golden-orange flowers of Osmanthus fragrans, an evergreen shrub native to China. It smells fruity and leathery, with a strong dried-apricot nuance, tea-like facets and a soft floral warmth.

What does Osmanthus smell like?

Osmanthus absolute is famous for its apricot and peach character, from gamma-decalactone and related lactones. It also has leathery, suede-like and tea-like facets, and a violet note from ionones. Compared with jasmine it is fruitier and less indolic; compared with champaca, it is more leathery and apricot-like.

Where Osmanthus comes from

Osmanthus is cultivated in southern China, where it blooms in September and October. Flowers are harvested and extracted with solvents to produce concrete and absolute. Yields are low, with around a tonne of flowers producing roughly a kilo of extract.

• Also known as: Sweet osmanthus, Tea olive, Guihua
• Fragrance family: Floral (fruity floral)
• Type: Natural (synthetic accords also common)
• Main origins: China (especially Guangxi and Zhejiang)
• How it's obtained: Solvent extraction to concrete and absolute
• Key aroma molecules: Gamma-decalactone, beta-ionone, dihydro-beta-ionone, linalool, linalool oxides

Osmanthus in perfume history

Osmanthus has been prized in China for centuries, used to scent tea, wine and sweets, and associated with the mid-autumn festival. The city of Guilin is named after the flower. In Western perfumery, osmanthus became more prominent from the late twentieth century.

Osmanthus in modern perfumery

Osmanthus is popular in niche perfumery for its unusual fruity-leathery character. Hermès Osmanthe Yunnan by Jean-Claude Ellena is one of the best-known osmanthus fragrances.

How Osmanthus wears and what it pairs with

Osmanthus sits in the heart with good tenacity. It pairs with tea, leather, apricot, violet, iris, jasmine, sandalwood and musk.

Fragrances featuring Osmanthus

• Hermès Osmanthe Yunnan

Safety and regulation

Osmanthus absolute contains naturally occurring EU-declarable allergens such as linalool.