ChnTeas - perfume tea
type: channel
link: https://chnteas.org/tag/perfume-tea/
items: Why Is Oolong Tea So Aromatic? A Webmaster's Simple Guide to the "Perfume of Teas"

Why Is Oolong Tea So Aromatic? A Webmaster's Simple Guide to the "Perfume of Teas"
type: item
date: 2026-02-14T13:20:25+00:00
description: Hello tea friends, it's your webmaster here.After years of drinking tea, I've noticed something interesting: almost everyone who tries Oolong tea is amazed by its aroma. Tieguanyin's orchid fragrance, Dan Cong's honey orchid scent, Rock tea's "yan yun"… each one is unforgettable.So I often get asked: "Why is Oolong tea so aromatic? Do they add flavorings?"Today, I'm going to explain the secret behind Oolong's rich fragrance in the simplest way possible. By the end, you'll understand that this aroma isn't added—it's the result of nature, craftsmanship, and science working together.1. Bottom Line: Why Is Oolong Called the "Perfume of Teas"?In one sentence: Oolong's aroma is "forced out" of the tea leaves during processing.It's not added artificially, nor does it exist fully formed in fresh leaves. Instead, complex chemical reactions during processing generate a huge variety of volatile aromatic compounds. Studies show that Oolong tea contains hundreds of aroma components—far more than green or black tea.So how exactly is this aroma "forced out"? Let's break it down from three angles: raw materials, processing, and science.2. Raw Material: Maturity MattersMany people assume younger leaves are more aromatic, but with Oolong tea, it's the opposite.Oolong tea requires one bud with three to four leaves, ideally "opposite leaves" where the bud has stopped growing. Why such "old" leaves?Because tea aroma compounds mainly come from something called "ether extracts"—including aromatic oils, lipids, pigments, and more. These substances either carry aroma themselves or can generate new aroma compounds through hydrolysis and oxidation during processing. And they're mainly stored in mature leaves, with very little in tender buds.That's why you'll never find Oolong tea made from single buds, and why slightly coarser Oolongs often have more intense aromas.3. Core Process: Zuo Qing (Shaking Green) — Where Aroma ExplodesIf raw materials are the "warehouse" of aroma, then processing is…