Berberis of some variety.

I'm thinking Osmanthus, perhaps yunnanensis - it should have white flowers in mid spring, often fragrant, sometimes followed by blue black berries, evergreen tree like growth - does that fit at all?
Only thing that troubles me is the presence of a thorn - this makes it more likely to be some kind of Elaeagnus, which also have stems that colour. I don't believe it's a Berberis.