Nectarine Blossom & Honey is the latest fragrance release from Jo Malone, who established her line of perfumes in London in 1994. She remained with the brand as Creative Director even after it was sold to Estee Lauder in 1999, but has recently announced that she is moving on to pursue other goals. There are no plans to discontinue the line, but unless another fragrance was already in the works under her guidance, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, which was released in the UK last year and is only recently available in the US, may be the last real "Jo Malone" fragrance we see.

The Nectarine Blossom & Honey fragrance was said to have been inspired by the "delicate flavour of peach sorbet", and the notes are clementine, peach, nectarine, blackcurrant, plum, vetiver and honey. It starts with very sweet citrus and fruits, and I found the top notes uncomfortably close to peach slices in syrup. As it settles, there is a hint of blackcurrant and a light honey note; the honey intensifies as it dries down, but the end result is not at all overly sweet — just honeyed — and while it stays fruity, it is subtle and close to the skin. There is a bit of warmth in the dry down that might be vetiver, or perhaps something lightly musky-woody.

It is in keeping with the style of Jo Malone's Lime Blossom and Orange Blossom fragrances: light, simple, summer-y, pleasant, although it is fruitier and has a less of a "fresh" finish than those two fragrances. Still, lovers of those fragrances might well adore this one. It is rare that something this fruity appeals to me, and I didn't like it nearly as well as I liked the last two releases from Jo Malone, Vintage Gardenia and Pomegranate Noir.

Like the others in the Jo Malone line, it is a cologne, but the lasting power is better than some of the the others. For buying information, see the listing for Jo Malone under Perfume Houses.

Note: image via Jo Malone website.