Osmanthus is an Asian tree native to the Himalayas and China, particularly in the city of Guilin, a particularly picturesque Chinese city. It is located in north-eastern China, in the Guangxi Zhuang region, on the western bank of the beautiful Li River. The area around Guilin is famous for its ‘dragon's teeth’, which are mountains covered with osmanthus forests. Guilin literally means ‘the osmanthus forest’.
The trees bloom mainly between October and November, filling the entire valley with an intoxicatingly sweet scent. The Greek etymology of ‘Osmanthus fragrans’ expresses the uniqueness of the plant: ‘osmé’ means ‘fragrance’ and “anthos” means ‘flower’.
Osmanthus also became legendary as a source of poetic inspiration. It is said that centuries ago, the giant Wu Gang tried in vain to uproot the beautiful ‘Osmanthus’ growing in the paradise of the moon because he was so jealous of the fragrant glow of its flowers.
For several centuries, a festival was celebrated in the city of Hangzhou, where people gathered to eat dishes prepared with osmanthus, accompanied by folk dances and songs. To the delight of tea lovers, the Chinese discovered that osmanthus can also be used to enhance the natural fruity flavour of some green and black teas. In Yunnan province, it has been customary for more than twenty-three centuries to prepare a liqueur from osmanthus flowers during the autumn holidays, which is served in a jade cup. Osmanthus has been known for 2000 years and has always been prized for its strongly scented flowers, whose fruity, floral fragrance is reminiscent of apricots.
Fragrance notes: white blossom, apricot, fruit, leather, exotic essences. Osmanthus absolutus is very expensive and is used selectively in niche perfumery. The plant was imported to Japan in the 17th century and introduced to Europe in 1771.
The fragrance Absolue d'Osmanthe
Absolue d'Osmanthe is a sensual fragrance, sophisticated and daring, harmoniously constructed around the osmanthus blossom with soft fruity accents. Arabian jasmine and sandalwood enhance the fascinating and enigmatic note of this fragrance. The base note reveals a sensual note reminiscent of amber and wood, blended with vanilla, labdanum and tolu balsam. The Absolue d'Osmanthe extract also contains ‘Rose Petal’ from Robertet. It perfectly underscores the floral, fruity facet of osmanthus.
