A variation on a theme; when done well it illuminates and inspires. When done poorly it at first inspires then it gets lazy and rests on its initial success and eventually becomes boring and forgettable. An example of the former is Johannes Brahms’ “Saint Anthony Variations” in Classical Music. It was the first independent series of variations composed for a full orchestra. Brahms took a simple pair of five-measure phrases and through instrumentation and tempo Brahms created nine variations which stand alone and when put together feel like a version of orchestral jazz. It is inspiring and within its structure and variation there is depth and intent.

“Three’s Company” the American situation comedy which ran from 1977-1984 is an example of when a variation becomes stale. “Three’s Company” centered on three roommates, two women and a man, which was used for comic effect. Each episode pretty much centered on a basic misunderstanding of one of the roommates or their friends. The mechanism was often an overheard conversation which the audience knew was innocent but the listener would hear in a more salacious way. The listener would then act in an amusing way and over the course of thirty minutes the confusion would resolve until the next week when the same thing would happen. “Three’s Company” was gifted with an amazing physical comedian in John Ritter and that talent would keep me coming back; for about two seasons worth. Eventually the rest of the viewers began to tire of the same variation, the audience dwindled, and “Three’s Company” was consigned to trivia contests about the 80’s.

The perfume house of Jo Malone seems to be interested in variations on a theme, too. Starting with Sakura Cherry Blossom in the spring of 2011 Jo Malone has released six fragrances all focusing on a light fruity floral theme over the ensuing fifteen months. The most recent of these releases is Plum Blossom Cologne. All of these recent releases have a similarity of trying to be light and unobtrusive and make me wonder if Jo Malone is trying to reach a different audience. These releases seem like in-house perfumer Christine Nagel is designing for someone who doesn’t normally wear perfume as they all share a lack of depth. This is not to indicate these are unwearable because I don’t believe Mme Nagel can make an unwearable perfume. I just think no perfumista would want to own more than one of these because there is no illumination or inspiration happening in these variations and any one is as good as the other.

Plum Blossom Cologne opens with the plum blossom in place and Mme Nagel knows what she is doing as the delicacy of the  blossom is not lost in the forceful nature of the plum. The opening moments do feel more floral than fruity. The floral quality is enhanced in the heart as a bit of freesia carries the fresh quality through to a base of austere sandalwood and clean white musk. The development is straightforward and mostly linear but it is well-done.

Plum Blossom Cologne has below average longevity and below average sillage.

Let me repeat, on its own Plum Blossom Cologne is a good light fruity floral. The issue is it is the sixth version of light fruity floral produced by Jo Malone in the last fifteen months. With Blackberry and Bay on the horizon it looks like this is the direction Jo Malone has chosen to stake its future on. I worry that a perfumer as talented as Christine Nagel will be tethered to this as she has shown she can be one of the most creative perfumers we have but not when being corporately constrained as it seems she is. My concern is if Jo Malone continues in this insistence of making one style of perfume only, one of my favorite perfume houses will also become the answer to a trivia question instead of the innovative house it has been in the past. Then again maybe perfumistas are not the audience they are seeking anymore and it is time for me to turn the TV off and cue up Brahms on my iPod.

Disclosure: This review was based on a decant purchased from Surrender to Chance.

–Mark Behnke, Managing Editor