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Yunnan Osmanthus

Q: Is Yunnan Osmanthus natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Solvent extraction of fresh flowers. Extremely delicate, harvested by hand in autumn. Very low yield..

FLOWERS / floral · fruity · sweet

Yunnan Osmanthus

Category	FLOWERS
Subcategory	floral · fruity · sweet
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Osmanthus fragrans
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	China
Pyramid	Heart

Rich, apricot-fruity, leathery-sweet floral. Yunnan osmanthus is known for intense, wine-like richness and deeper fruit character than other origins.

Scent
Terroir & Origins
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Rich, apricot-peachy, leathery-sweet with violet undertone. Like dried apricot leather dipped in sweet wine. One of the few naturals that bridges three fragrance families at once.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Rich apricot-peachy burst with floral lift

After a few hours

Leathery-suede warmth, wine-dark depth

After a few days

Persistent warm apricot-leather

Terroir & Origins

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Osmanthus fragrans from Yunnan produces one of the richest osmanthus absolutes. Tiny orange flowers yield an absolute dominated by linalool oxide, gamma-decalactone (peachy-creamy), beta-ionone (violet-fruity), and cis-3-hexenol.

Yunnan osmanthus tends richer, more wine-like, more leathery than other origins. The terroir effect is significant.

In perfumery, osmanthus absolute bridges fruit, leather, and floral families simultaneously, which is extremely unusual for a single natural material.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

Did you know?

Osmanthus flowers are used in Chinese cuisine to flavor rice wine and tea. The same gamma-decalactone that gives osmanthus its peachy scent is the key aroma in ripe peaches.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Solvent extraction of fresh flowers. Extremely delicate, harvested by hand in autumn. Very low yield.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture — key odorants: β-ionone (C₁₃H₂₀O), linalool (C₁₀H₁₈O), γ-decalactone (C₁₀H₁₈O₂)
CAS Number	68917-05-5
Botanical Name	Osmanthus fragrans
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Fragrant Olive, Sweet Osmanthus
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid
Specific Gravity	0.880 to 0.950 @ 25°C

In Perfumery

Luxury heart note bridging fruit, leather, and floral families. Key molecules: gamma-decalactone, beta-ionone, linalool oxide. Yunnan origin is richer and more wine-like. Extremely expensive.