Osmanthus Fragrance (桂花香, Guì Huā Xiāng, "Osmanthus Flower Fragrance") - One of the ten original Phoenix oolongs, this tea takes its name from the Osmanthus flower, a species of olive, and one of the most celebrated of Chinese flowers. Like many of the other Phoenix lineages, Osmanthus Fragrance is named after a flower, though it does not contain any flowers in it, nor is it scented. Some Phoenix Oolongs are so evocative of celebrated flowers that they are named after them. This lightly-roasted, low-oxidation oolong has an unmistakable sweet floral fragrance, with delicate notes of apple and pear. Osmanthus Fragrance is a great introduction to Phoenix Oolongs as a category because it is more forgiving than the higher-oxidized varieties and its delicate floral fragrance makes it accessible even to new tea drinkers.
