TIME TO DRAW THE RAFFLE NUMBERS by 4160 Tuesdays

There can’t be many people that haven’t heard of “the seven year itch.” I’m not talking about the 1955 film that starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, but more the feeling of dissatisfaction or familiarity that is said to appear at that point in any relationship. This doesn’t just apply to people; it can be anything that is long term. During lockdown I started to go through some of my older fragrances, rediscovering forgotten favourites, and I stumbled across one that had been pushed to the back. Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers by Sarah McCartney was released in 2013, and it’s high time it was shown some love.

When Sarah McCartney launched 4160 Tuesdays back in 2012 she had already been honing her experimental techniques for many years. A previous career as the copywriter for LUSH had seen her immerse herself in the world of ingredients and perfumery but, until she made the break to go it alone, that knowledge remained largely academic. The first fragrance launched under the 4160 Tuesdays name was Lady Rose Lion, a floral chypre fragrance that took its inspiration from medieval tapestries. This perfume set the style for everything that would follow... fragrances that ignored trends and promised scented excitement.

The following year was momentous for the brand and saw the release of the modern day classics Evil Max, The Dark Heart of Old Havana, and The Sexiest Scent on the Planet. These three fragrances really should be in every niche perfume collection, and kept on hand for liberal spraying. Unfortunately, amongst the runaway successes, there were a few releases that failed to excite in the same way. One of these was Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers, and I genuinely think that the issue was that it was up against such strong releases. However, it’s time to scratch the seven year itch and see what love is lurking underneath.

When Sarah found herself watching the Sky team win the 2012 Tour de France she couldn’t help wondering what that “scent of excitement” would smell like? If you imagine the bikes racing down the Champs-Elysées, home to the famous Guerlain boutique and numerous cafes and restaurants, hot tires on sun-warmed tarmac, and even the scent of excited skin, you know that this is going to be no ordinary fragrance. It has defied classification, and the name might not be the catchiest, which is why it’s struggled to find its place. However, if you’re willing to take a chance, let me introduce you to Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers.

The fragrance opens with a delicious citrus accord, which Sarah describes as marmalade, before you quickly start to get an impression of peppered chrome. It’s this pull between the hot spice and the cold metal that allows a leather and coffee pairing to almost appear through the centre. You have a background aroma of buttery croissant, mixed with a nod to Guerlain’s boutique courtesy of an androgynous rose, but it’s the final pairing of earthy vetiver and a hot concrete pavement effect that puts you squarely on the Champs-Elysées. With a final touch of musky race-winning skin, Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers is the perfect fragrance for those that want their leather scent to have some intriguing character.

Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers is available from the 4160 Tuesdays website at 4160tuesdays.com priced at £32 for 15ml or £127.50 for 100ml. Stock of this fragrance is limited so please don’t delay if you’d like to get one. [Bottle pictured was purchased in 2013 but it now comes in the standard 4160 Tuesdays packaging.]

Posted by Stephan Matthews at 07:00:00

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Labels: 4160 Tuesdays, Champs-Élysées, Dark Heart Of Old Havana, Evil Max, Independent, Lady Rose Lion, Lush, Niche, Sarah McCartney, Seven Year Itch, Sexiest Scent on the Planet, Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers