Tea and Olfaction: Taiwanese Oolong at the IAO

Most tea tastings ask you to notice flavor. This one asks you to notice smell, and that changes how a cup of oolong reads. On Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, the Institute for Art and Olfaction hosts "Tea and Olfaction: Deconstructing Taiwanese Oolong," an in-person session that sits between a specialty tea tasting and a perfumer's workshop.

When: Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM Where: The Institute for Art and Olfaction, 932 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Price: $145.90 per ticket

What to expect

The listing describes an aromatic exploration of Taiwanese oolongs, bridging specialty tea tasting and experimental scent design. Oolong is a good subject for it. Depending on how it is grown, oxidized and roasted, one leaf can lean floral, creamy, fruity, toasted or mineral, and many of the notes we call "taste" are really aromas reaching the nose from the back of the mouth.

The cover photo from the organizer hints at the approach: a bowl of dry leaves, a small cup of brewed tea, a halved pear, a pat of butter, gardenia-like blossoms and bits of pineapple laid out together. Those are the kinds of reference scents that tend to turn up when people try to put words to an oolong. Expect to sniff, sip, compare and talk, not just drink. The ticket page does not publish a full agenda, so check it for details on what is included before you book.

About the venue

The Institute for Art and Olfaction is a Los Angeles nonprofit devoted to creative experimentation with scent. Its stated goal is to create new points of entry for people curious about olfaction, across any medium. It is tucked into Chung King Road in Chinatown, a pedestrian lane of galleries and small shops, so it makes an easy anchor for an afternoon in the neighborhood. If you are mapping out things happening in Los Angeles around Downtown that weekend, this one is a quiet, hands-on option.

Planning your visit

Tickets are sold through Eventbrite, and the session runs about two and a half hours, so plan the afternoon around it. Chung King Road is a walking street, and parking in and around Chinatown fills up on weekends, so give yourself extra time or take the Metro A Line to Chinatown station and walk. Come without strong perfume or scented products on your skin, since they get in the way of smelling anything subtle.

This is a fit if you like food and drink events that teach you something. It is also a solid pick if you are browsing LA events this weekend for a gift-worthy experience, or if you simply drink tea and want to understand why two oolongs smell nothing alike. Browse more in Food & Drink or see what else is on in Downtown.