Osmanthus Oolong Spritz

Osmanthus oolong's honeyed, apricot-floral character makes a beautiful syrup base for a light spritz, the kind of drink built to sip slowly rather than knock back. Reducing a strong brew of the tea with a little sugar concentrates its fragrance into something that holds its own against sparkling wine without disappearing.

Keep the alcohol light here — a dry sparkling wine like Cava or Prosecco, topped generously with soda water, lets the osmanthus syrup stay the star of the show rather than getting buried under booze. A splash of fresh lemon juice keeps the whole thing from tipping into syrupy sweetness.

Because the tea base has some caffeine, this is best enjoyed earlier in the evening rather than right before bed; for a daytime gathering, it also looks beautiful served in a wine glass with a few whole dried osmanthus blossoms floating on top.

For a non-alcoholic mocktail version, simply skip the sparkling wine and double the soda water, or use a non-alcoholic sparkling wine alternative — the osmanthus oolong syrup, lemon, and bubbles deliver nearly all of the same celebratory, floral effect without any alcohol at all.