Coming Attraction: Jo Malone Plum Blossom Cologne

Launching in May, Jo Malone's limited-edition Plum Blossom Cologne continues a new direction by Jo Malone. With limited-edition fragrances in beautiful bottles that express the theme of the fragrance, Plum Blossom is similar to the exquisite London Blooms Collection of three fragrances that launched recently. The PR shot for London Blooms is shown at the bottom of this feature.

I have all three London Blooms, luckily acquired a few months before their release date. White Lilac & Rhubarb is my favorite, followed closely by Iris & Lady Moore. While I like Peony & Moss, I don't reach for it as often as I wear the other two. All three are light, but with character - perfect for office wear.

The new Plum Blossom Cologne is similarly light and office-appropriate. Plum Blossoms are a beloved subject in the traditional paintings of East Asia - and a fitting inspiration for the beauty of Plum Blossom Cologne. In China, plum trees bloom much earlier than they do in the United States. In East Asia, plum blossoms are seen as a symbol of winter's end and a harbinger of spring - a symbol for resilience and perseverance in the face of the adversity of harsh winter weather. They are early bloomers here too, although seldom with snow on the ground. Adding to the pink glory of early spring, plum trees are widely appreciated for their short seasonal displays. The white plum blossom design on the Plum Blossom Cologne bottle, shown above, could only have been prettier if it had been pink.

I've been wearing the fragrance for about a week. I'm not especially proficient at guessing notes, and no press information has been made available to me. I can tell you that Plum Blossom is a fresh, sweet, fruity-floral that delights me. I think I smell rose among its notes. I also smell something that grounds it. White musk perhaps? I suspect the fruit I can smell is plum; that would make sense, although I have no way to verify that. Actually, Jo Malone is seldom forthcoming with complete lists of notes. Instead of decomposing a fragrance to its notes, the company seems to prefer that we consider the sum of a scent's components - not a bad idea.

Plum Blossom Cologne should delight you too if you're not looking to make a statement with your fragrance. Plum Blossom has average longevity for a Jo Malone Cologne, and the drydown is relatively linear.

If you are a Jo Malone fan, you'll want to keep your eyes peeled for Plum Blossom, which will be available for a limited time (like Sakura Cherry Blossom Cologne was last year). It's a pretty, exuberant fragrance that I'm extremely happy to be wearing as spring gets underway.

When I get more information about it, I'll let you know right away. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying a selection from the gorgeous London Blooms Collection.

Photo at bottom courtesy of Jo Malone; plum blossom photo courtesy of mooseyscountrygarden.com; top photo of Plum Blossom Cologne by Best Things in Beauty