NAUGHTON & WILSON
GRAVITAS POUR HOMME

2020

PERFUMER
John Stephen

Lavender
Mandarin
Bergamot

Cardamom
Coriander
Pepper

Vanilla
Patchouli
Oakmoss
Ambergris

One of the first barbershop style fragrance that exceeded my expectations is Gravitas by Naughton & Wilson. It’s not a style that I often love, but when done in a certain, slightly more modern and sweetened way, I tend to appreciate it.

Instantly, Gravitas made me happy. Expecting a sharper, traditional fougere with a lot of spices and a more old-school lavender, I was surprised by how modern this smells. At no point during the wear do the spices tickle your nose or overpower the composition. You do have the lavender, especially in the opening and there’s a bit of a fresh kick, I think mostly from the cardamom, but it’s very smooth from beginning to end. The opening is quite fruity as well, but in a candlewax or lipbalm type of way and it fades.

The oakmoss is prominent. It’s stays a bit green and slightly acidic throughout the wear; it starts off bitter, but as it smooths out even more, it almost becomes soapy. It’s like a luxurious, herbal bar of soap. In a way it reminds me of Nicolai New York Intense, which is my absolute favorite in this style, and Gravitas comes very close, but without the animalic tinge. Especially, because of the vanilla sweetness and patchouli coming through, creating a nice contrast.

Gravitas is an extrait de parfum and it behaves like one… It doesn’t project like most eau de toilette or eau de cologne’s that I’m used to in this style do; it sits closer to the skin, but in a thicker, softer and smoother cloud, which I prefer.