While the plant itself is sometimes associated with cinnamon,[1] the blossoms' lactones impart a flavor closer to apricots and peaches.

[5] Because of the homophony between 酒 ("alcohol") and 久 ("long", in the sense of time passing), osmanthus wine is also a traditional gift for birthdays in China.

[7] Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica credits sweet osmanthus with "curing the hundred diseases" and "raising the spirit".

[8] Within China, osmanthus wine is associated with Xi'an[9] and Guizhou,[1][10] but production now occurs throughout China, including Beijing[11] and at the Hong Jiang Winery in Hunan.

[12] While the wine is also frequently referenced in Chinese period dramas (often referred to as Xianxia or Wuxia), it has also been referenced many times in the game Genshin Impact as the favorite beverage of the character Zhongli, the Geo Archon.