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Another first! My first osmanthus tea. I generally like floral teas (violet, rose, lavender, chrysanthemum), so I have high hopes for this one.

Wow, the aroma is strong and pretty thrilling. Very, powerfully floral and maybe a little fruity. It’s sweet, reminiscent of a sort of blend between violet and rose. As far as appearances go, it looks like an ordinary higher-grade oolong. Dark green nuggets with a stem sticking out. However, there are tiny, delicate flowers mixed in. They’re sort of orangish yellow with four petals… and very familiar! Wait, Osmanthus is the same thing as a tea olive tree?!

Long story short: Tea olive blossoms are very special to me in the way that they invoke nostalgia. They grow all over Atlanta, so whenever I smell them, I get flooded with memories of other times I’ve been around them in bloom. Falls and springs.

The brew comes up to a calm yellowish green. There’s the familiar, pungent oolong aroma, as well as the sweet fruity-floral scent. One sip and I’m in love. This tastes exactly like I wanted it to. Gentle oolong flavors with just a hint of nuttiness to base the flowers on. The floral osmanthus taste is right there in the forefront. It’s bright, comforting, and nostalgic. Exactly what I need in the dead of winter. This is going on my shopping list.