Blind Date

Let's get this off my chest, Blind Date is absolutely one of my favourite fragrances. There is a contrast between the softness of the cashmere and leather against the florals and fruits, warmth meeting freshness. You get wafts of fragrance when you move, making this one of the 'longest' scents going, in my opinion. Then there’s the dark florals, they're not bright or fresh but subdued, almost powdery and very comforting. I got this as a gift from my wife and I've tried to keep it going for as long as possible, however I'm on the dying embers! I can't seem to find it on the Testament London website anymore, I believe it is now discontinued, so the journey might be coming to an end. If it’s gone, it leaves behind a huge hole in my fragrance repertoire. But I'm hoping something will turn up. If you find this, get it ... it is wonderful!

I've been enjoying going through the Penhaligons Scent Libraries recently and when I saw the Testament one being sold for £10 on fb I jumped at the chance to sample another English perfume house. Blind Date is the first one I've tried so far and I'm really disapointed. My first reaction was WOAH that's extremely strong. Extreme projection of this fragrance and still quite a strong sillage as it settles. Leather and citrus are the main opening notes on me but rather than being nice and warm it's just harsh. As it settles it gets a little warmer and sweeter with distinct sandalwood coming through. TBH my first opinion of this fragrance was that it smelt cheap. I was shocked to disover 50ml of this is £185 on their website. It does mellow and become more complex and slightly nicer over time but it's not one I'll be wearing again. I do like that the brand is cruelty free though. Edit: Just tried the same brand's Longevity fragrance which unfortunately isn't listed on this site yet. WOW! Love it! Sexy and full of rum and sandalwood. Gorgeous masculine fragrance. Looking forward to trying more from this house now.

I was already nervous about applying Blind Date to my skin when I saw the notes, raspberry and leather is a combination I have a tough history with - it’s just a smell I very rarely remotely enjoy. Unfortunately with this fragrance, it really wasn’t my thing. The raspberry/leather combo smells like what can only be described as Tuscan Leather, I truly believe this is a riff on the famous Tom Ford fragrance. If you’ve smelled Tuscan Leather, you’ll know it’s a love it or hate it fragrance - personally I despise the stuff. There is a touch more balance here from violet, saffron and juniper but overall they cannot compete with the head-pounding strength of the raspberry and leather. It’s safe to say I really don’t enjoy this one, the longer I leave it on my skin the worse it gets. If you’re a lover of Tuscan Leather, you might love this too. If you’re like me and you can’t stand it, steer clear.

01.October 2021 The notes here are not complete. Here is the full list of the notes from official web site (as of today): Head notes:Leather, Juniper, Saffron, Plum, Raw Heart notes: Violet, Leather, Rose, Vanilla, Coconut Base notes: Cashmere, Vetiver, Raspberry, Sandalwood, Tonka bean