Bon Viveur

This is my first wearing of the sophomore release from Dan Naughton’s company, Naughton & Wilson, Bon Viveur, a fresher follow-up to the spicier Gravitas, but still fresh and spicy in its own right, a mix of citruses and spices with a woody base. Bon Viveur immediately feels like a sort of modern homage to fresh men’s classics like Dior Eau Sauvage (the original EDT) or Chanel Pour Monsieur (the current EDT) mixed with lemon-lime soda, with a certain gin fizziness and slightly metallic tone. The main standout notes are fittingly lemon and lime (particularly at the opening) as well as pepper, clove, gin (presumably juniper), and a base of cedar, patchouli, vetiver, and oakmoss. Particularly as it dries down, the lemon/lime/gin fades a bit and gives with to the spicy clove and pepper, paired harmoniously with base notes. It certainly gets a little spicier over time, then, but still feels like it has a good balance, even after the initial effervescence has faded somewhat. Much like with Gravitas, I love the classic-meets-modern vibe of the aforementioned men’s classics as well as a more modern gin-infused, slightly-spicy-but-still fresh vibe. Also like Gravitas, it has a versatility to it both in terms of weather and situation, but as Gravitas is slightly heavier/darker/spicier, Bon Viveur is slightly lighter/brighter/fresher, albeit with still well above average performance, even if not quite as strong as the performance of Gravtias. Bon Viveur is priced slightly higher ($150) than Gravitas ($120) and can be shipped to the US. I believe it’s currently only sold through the Naughton & Wilson website. As with Gravitas, I believe the price on Bon Viveur is quite reasonable in the current market, at $1.5/ml, and I’m quite pleased with the quality and evolution after several hours. Overall, I’m very impressed and look forward to adding a bottle to my collection alongside Gravitas. The duo offers a bit of a day-night/winter-summer duality but both fragrances are really quite versatile and their high utility/wearability overlap considerably with one another. 8 out of 10

I bought three 30ml bottles from the Naughton & Wilson website: Bon Viveur, Arezzo, and Gravitas. I'll start with Bon Viveur which is the one i liked the most. . Bon Viveur is the synthesis of what I like in a summer cologne. It's citrusy-herbal with a very subtle, clean, almost soapy note. It's reminiscent of various scents that mixed in this blend; in its own way, it has a certain uniqueness. The greatest similarity is with Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum 2017. I see it well on a distinguished man relaxing on a summer weekend. The performance is average, definitely better in longevity than projection (a common characteristic of the other two I own). you can feel that Mrsmelly perfumes are made with passion by a gentleman perfume lover, there's not just marketing and greed here. I'm satisfied, but I recommend trying it first, as not everyone might consider this perfume a must-have. I'm seriously considering the 100ml bottle; I think my 30ml will run out soon. Ho preso tre profumi dal sito del mitico mrsmelly. La mia preferita è al momento bon viveur, che è molto simile a dior eau sauvage 2017 con qualche differenza. Consiglio al pubblico italiano di provare i profumi di mrsmelly, si sente che sono fatti da un appassionato. La perfomance è discreta ma la profumazione mi piace molto. Scent-8,5 Longevity -7,5 Sillage-7 Uniqueness-8 Versatility-8 Presentation-8 Compliment factor-8 Backup bottle? Yes My vote-8,5 In one word- viveur Alternative - eau sauvage 2017, eau de rochas, boucheron pour homme, floris 89...

Not a sophisticated review I’m about to leave here but I do love the smell of this. Currently working through the dry down. The top on skin, I get the lemon & lime, the grass and the gin. On clothes, I get those three notes plus something fizzy. The clove comes through quickly on skin and a little slower on clothes. That’s where I’m sitting right now. Looking forward to smelling the back end of this, which, from the listed notes, is supposed to become grassier. Here’s how I described it in the immediacy to a friend. One thing that I wished from Dan’s first release (Gravitas Pour Homme, which is also amazing) is that it wasn’t as cloying in warm weather because I enjoy wearing it during warmer months. Not knocking Gravitas whatsoever. That’s just the nature of its scent profile. They both have that warm spiciness about them. But so far, I think Bon Viveur solves that “issue.” Lack for better words, I’m getting a more summer-y, “fresh” Gravitas, presumably from taking away the vanilla and cardamom (a complex spice with sweeter facets) and adding the gin, vetiver and cloves (a more mild, less sweet, peppery spice). zman1974 below said “A perfect complement to the line.” They’re correct.

Another YouTuber fragrance bought out of curiosity. Beautiful bottle with a slightly misaligned plate. The scent is a competent and decent quality variation on Dior Eau Sauvage 2017 version, with a bit of Chanel Pour Monsieur EDP thrown in for good measure. There is a ‘coldness’ to this iteration though, perhaps betraying a cold, sociopathic approach to the development of the scent and its marketing rather than the excellent perfumer. I already have these other fragrances plus back ups. If I should ever run out of one of these three scents, I will simply buy a 100ml bottle of whatever is priced the best at the time. My approach to Bon Viveur, Eau Sauvage Parfum and Pour Monsieur EDP will be ‘whatever suits me best at the time’ - or whatever is nearest!

I like this alot. It's Mr Smelley 1977's 2nd fragrance; check out his youtube channel and you will get an idea of his style. It is a Lemon scent with Spices that come forward in the drydown. Whenever i spray this , for about a day when i walk by the bottle the i notice spices. The lemon and spice mix is unique, i'd say if you want to get an idea of what it would be like you could mix the lemon of Eau Savauge with the spices of Creed Bois Du Portugal, but it doesn't smell exactly like that or either of these, just reminiscent of these. Its smell is its own unique smell. The Spiciness is very masculine and appealing. It would be more appropriate to wear in Spring/ Summer during day and on a summer evening would be ok too.

This smells mature, summery, eccentric. I imagine a character like Sherlock Holmes wearing something similar, or the Duke of Hastings from Bridgerton, later in life. It feels British, it feels rich, and it feels old. The opening is almost creamy because of the green notes that balance out the citruses, of which lime is by far the most noticeable. After that, cloves and peppers take over and the vetiver that is ever present softens that with it's pleasant earthiness. The Gin in the heart is clean and now that I've been wearing it for around four hours I do detect the watermelon when I'm moving around now, as a watery freshness at the edge of the scent. Very pleasant scent overall that evokes sophistication and maturity.

Bon Viveur is a modern spring/summertime gentleman's fragrance. It embraces tradition, capturing the best of more traditional notes of the 20th century and making them accessible to the modern man. It’s quite unapologetic in what it is. You won't smell like candy or be gourmand edible. It's not unisex. The sillage does not take over the room. It’s a professional man in a relaxed, summer environment. This is the fragrance of a CEO when he is entertaining guests in warmer weather. It's for dining with prospects on the boat and signing the paperwork of a major deal with them later that evening.

I was hoping for a Juniper Sling that actually performed as well as it smelled, and that is what I have received. The gin and tonic vibe is definitely present and upfront which you will either love or hate depending on your tastes. However, like others have correctly stated, this release evokes the classic Dior Eau Sauvage vibe; but with it's own personality. I do love the watery vetiver on the drydown which I didn't expect. This fragrance will receive a ton of wear in the daytime spring and summer; for nighttime, simply switch to Gravitas Pour Homme. A perfect complement to the line.

Regardless of the note breakdown this just smells like a slightly more citrus-forward Gravitas to me, which itself I could sum up as an extremely lavender-heavy fougere. The most notable omission from BV is the vanilla in the base. Take that hole and fill it with gin, basil, and extra citruses and that's basically BV. While this leans a little more bright and herbal as a result, the warm spices and rich oakmoss base keep it balanced along the midline between fresh and warm. Moderate projection for 2-3hr, longevity 8-10hr.

Well this is very unexpected. In the hot sun i tend to go for freshies a with gin / tonic vibe, and i was hoping this would lean into that vibe a little more. Actually the gin is not to prominent here and when it dries down and the lotion / talcumpowder scent calms down, what your left with is something that goes towards a powdery le male le parfum. Wich i absolutely love. Its still very mature, and gentlemanly.. but in a slightly boozy and fun type of way. Its a vibe, get it if your 40+. Thank me later.

Bon Viveur Has a sophistication one rarely finds in today’s fragrance market. Adult, smart and stylish. I’m not talking notes or lists of notes, or comparing it to other fragrances I love but rather this: the feeling it gives me, the memories of elegant evening suppers, jazz concerts and a late night stroll along the Thames River with London lights shimmering across the swift cold water. It’s a grown up fragrance for a decerning, smart and stylish gentleman.

Bon Viveur does not smell, to me, anything like Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum. I literally have one on one arm and one on the other. I don't know how anyone would even compare the two. I think it's worth owning both, as they're both great.. Bon Viveur is lime, gin, clove, oakmoss. There's an overpowering licorice and thick smokiness note to Eau Sauvage Parfum which gives it a more vintage feel. That is absolutely not there with Bon Viveur.

Picked up a bottle of this as a pre-order. Really enjoy this fragrance and it is definitely a classy smell to wear on special occasions. You certainly pick up on the citrus opening and it has a green feel to it as well. You can smell the Gin and the Clove coming through in the mid and a great earthy type base. Would recommend people to get a sample/ buy this. It is a complex fragrance but a well blended and put together one.

Awesome fougere. Fougere frags are great for every day wear and safe office wears, and this is no different. Nicely blended, I feel this is a bit more mature than some others like At the Barber. Good mix of citrus and spice, my only knock, and this is the same for most fougeres, but it could last a bit longer.

If you like Eau sauvage, Pour Monsieur,Danger pc and other fougere atyle fragrances, youll love this. Its like his take on the three mentioned above. Im sad i waited as long as i did to get a bottle but glad i finally got one.

Fresh creamy chai latte and citrus Fougere I get the Dior and the BdP comparison but this is doing its own thing. I think it might even be good in cold weather. FBW for me. N&W continue to impress.

Liked this very much. Long lasting with a nice trail. I have Gravitas Pour Homme but the opening just did not smell good to me. I prefer Bon Viveur.

Another excellent release! Gravitas had one of the most amazing openings of the hundreds of scents i have. This one, likewise, is astounding!

Amazing fragrance. So fresh and crisp but quite complex in the drydown. Very worthy follow up to Gravitas!

A mix between Pour Monsieur and Danger. I prefer Gravitas to this one, but not a bad fragrance at all.

everything from naughton & wilson is a winner if u have his taste

This has an OK vintage-esq scent profile, but sits far too close to the skin. Even for longevity evaluation, which I define as how long I'm able to catch natural whafts occassionally drifting up to my nose without going g sniffing for it. This fragrance is poor even under that definition. The scent profile is not as aromatic spicy as Chanel Pour Monsieur, it sits flater, but I can see the comparison. Pour Monsieur has that slight "plasticky" smell too, almost as if there is a resin that isn't accounted for. But advantage to Pour Monsieur. There is that slight "plasticky" smell to Bon Viveur, which does slightly mimic the "gummy" accord of Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum's use of elemi/myrrh. That fragrance also sits flat. Bon Viveur smells nothing like the brilliant Dior Eau Sauvage EDT, nor does it smell much like Lalique Pour Homme lion (Bois du Portugal). One other frag I might compare Bon Viveur to would be YSL Opium Pour Homme, in part because of that "plasticky" smell I get. Opium Pour Homme has more aromatic and sweeter spices, and is overall better, but is otherwise similar. This is OK, but not as good as Gravitas. Not full bottle worthy for me. Update: the scent profile becomes more pleasing to me in its drydown. And even though I still have to stick my nose directly on points of application, it does seem to stick around as a skin scent at least. Update 2: Wearing it again today 2/1/22. I'm appreciating it more now. Probably full bottle worthy for me now. But it is so close to Chanel Pour Monsieur/Lancome Sagamore/Tiffany for Men that there would be some redundancy. Update 3: I figure these updates can illustrate to interested people how perception changes over time. I'm wearing again 03/22/22, and I like this even more. I sprayed pretty heavily, including shirt, and its performing well. I catch periodic natural wafts through the day. Better than Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum (2012/2017), and full bottle worthy for me.

Interesting reading the note table. I bought this blindly as soon as it was available. I bought it on the back of Gravitas also blind bought which for me would be one of the best scents of 2020. So, despite the note table this in simplistic inaccurate terms smells like the top 1/3 of Gravitas - missing the darkness, vanilla at the bottom end. That’s not a bad thing! Slightly soapy - just a green soft slightly syrupy barbershop a touch vanillic, I mean, a can just about pull apart the scent and say it’s made up of an equal pinch of everything on the note pyramid. It reminds me of Santa Eulia Citric sans vanilla or Dior Eau Sauvage EDT minus the darker green facets and dark base. It’s not far off Rogue Bon Monsieur or Mazzolari Augusto - arguably one of the most famous barbershops - just softer and less soapy. Possibly a bit weaker in performance of Gravitas but I’ll update that once I’ve worn it a bit. If you like the aforementioned or Gravitas Pour Homme you will want to at least try this.

I bought a sample of this in July. At first sampling I couldn't decide whether I liked it or not. I sampled it over a couple days. I set it aside and tried it again in October and then it hit me. In my opinion this is a cool/cold weather fragrance! There's a very good balance of citrus, herbal, and sweet in almost equal amounts. It's a "thick" strong smell. Something round and edible almost which is why I think it does so much better in the cold. It's fresh and bright, has really good sillage and projects to arms length for at least the first 2-3 hours especially when sprayed on clothes. Classy, fresh, not teenager but definitely not old man. Give this a try in colder weather if you haven't already. Will be my next full bottle purchase.

I smell cardamom.... again. Impossible to miss the opening blast. Seems like Mr. Smelly is in love with this note. Anyhow, this is practically a grassier version of Chanel's Pour Monsieur, then in the dry down, you get the same vetiver accord from any of the Eau Sauvage's. It's not bad, it's actually really good, but this is nothing new, nor worth the hefty price tag.

...a solid second release from Naughton & Wilson...perfumer John Stephen was pretty much working in the cracks between the piano keys to create this modern take on a classic theme...no showy flavours-of-the-month or new-wave indulgences here...suave, sophisticated and masculine, this sits right beside Pour Monsieur and Eau Sauvage on the shelf...that sprayer though,

I have Gravitas Pour Homme as well and you can definitely detect the DNA of GPH in Bon Viveur. BV seems more clove forward compared to GPH. After awhile you start to get that freshness in the background but I wouldn’t go as far as to say this should be worn in the high temps of summer but can easily be worn in spring,fall and winter.

A clean and powdery scent reminiscent of fabric softener. As it dries down, anise starts to become more prominent. I don't really detect watermelon, which was the main reason why I wanted to try this fragrance so that was a slight letdown. Overall, it's a solid fragrance, but I much prefer Gravitas Pour Homme.

A classic G&T vibe with good quality ingredients. However, if the G&T vibe is what you are after you will get better value for money with Hermes' Voyage d'Hermès.

7.5/10 Decent. Very old fashioned, powdery, I smell aniseed, which isn't a note in this. Dry down is a bit boring.

On my skin, this is an almost exact copy of Eau Savage, the OG. We're talking 99.8%. I would have bet my house on it being the Dior classic if I didn't know different, but that's why I'm a little disappointed. Great, I have a perfect copy of a great fragrance but I wanted something original or at least a slightly different take on things. Again, this is on my skin and it may well sing a different tune on yours. Gravitas didn't re-write the book on fragrances but was classy and sexy, this would be unfair to call a clone out of respect for the perfumer but damn this is a doppelganger.

I gotta be honest, after having high hopes for this, I am quite disappointed by it. It opens really nice, bright, zingy, classic cologne style dna with lots of citrus and it has a sort of lemon pie type smell (reminds me of chanel edition blanche), but then it dries down to just a generic shaving foam type smell, and performance is pretty poor on my skin. But, saying that, don't let me put you off. I see a few people here really like it, and it is a very pleasant and versatile. Sample it and try for yourself.

A fizzy and spicy fragrance that’s great for spring. Makes me think of a posh older man with a fun side - the late, great celebrity cook Keith Floyd springs to mind. Clove is noticeable here, which I wasn’t expecting - be sure to sample the scent first if you’re not a fan of this note.

I find it funny how people leave "reviews" here downgrading this fragrance using the same exact things they heard on a Youtube review. As if only one brand has license to using a particular note. Welcome to the Autisitic Peanut Gallery of Fragrantica.

I've had this a week now. The OG "Gravitas" still has that Knockout Opening...BV does not. It is however, pleasant and gets compliments. The scent is also the same from opening to ending. It is NOT FOR THE HOT WEATHER MONTHS.

I bought BV because Gravitas was so damn good. This isnt the type of fragrance I normally wear though. This just seems more Daytime. I'm more of a Dark, Tabacco, and Honey lover.

Based on the prior release and the description of Bon Viveur, I was confident I would like it and blind bought. That was a mistake. The fragrance is quite different than I expected. To my nose it smells similar to anise, even though it’s not part of the fragrance profile. Some would appreciate that and may enjoy the fragrance. I do not get a blast of citrus in the opening even though it is promoted to. In my opinion, Gravitas is much superior. Definitely sample before purchasing.

This is an interesting fragrance, to be sure. I have worn it in the house many times because I am somehow drawn to wearing it...but sadly, every time, I am immediately put off by it. This smells like fancy talcum powder; something that an old man might wear to mask his B.O. At least that's the first image that pops into my head when sniffing this. Certainly, a man living his best life (shall we say, a "bon viveur")--partying, drinking, smoking, lounging, gaming and...erm...shagging to his heart's content--will inevitably work up quite a sweat, so I guess this fits in with that image. But alas, it is not how I want to smell! The initial blast is inoffensive enough that I don't mind it, but as it settles on my skin its appeal begins to wane; three or 4 hours in and I can't stand it! It genuinely makes me feel unclean and, ultimately, I feel the need to wash it off. I really want to like this, and I wear it more often than I normally would for a fragrance I'm not fond of, but it just isn't to my taste. Being in my early 30s, I wouldn't exactly call myself young, but this leans more mature than even 30ish. This lacks a certain edge, something sharp or bold to give it that extra masculine 'oompf', something that would make it more enticing to all ages. For Gravitas, it was the spicy notes that lent it a tinge of "danger" or mystery, a hint of some raw energy hidden just beneath the surface; the aura of a younger man with something to prove. By contrast, Bon Viveur is subdued through and through. I bought this specifically for the citrus opening and the curious watermelon note, but this particular blend of citrus has no "bite", no zest, no youthful exuberance. And I'm still curious as to where that watermelon note might be... Bon Viveur is instead a soft, soothing, powdery fragrance that's more ready to lull you to sleep than to thrill or intrigue you. To the right nose, it evokes an image of classical luxury & elegance; a younger crowd, however, will likely find it too old-fashioned. I'd say a gent in his 50s and beyond would get a real kick out of this, but, bald as I might be, I'm still out here chasing my youth, so this one's out of my reach for now. Normally, when it comes to aroma profiles, powdery is #1 on my list of "avoid at all costs", yet this has something that keeps me coming back... Condemning as this review might sound, I mean every word in the most positive manner possible. As I mentioned before, I do genuinely find this fragrance interesting and alluring, and am often drawn to wearing it, so I definitely see myself enjoying this at some point, but no...now is not that time.

i brought this bottle on the promise of some citrus aromatic along the lines of my favourite fragrance of all time the 2012 eau sauvage parfum! I was hugely disappointed! the first thing i noticed was the awful sprayer that put out tiny puffs of fragrance meaning id need around 15 sprays to get a good coverage! secondly disappointing was the complete lack of any sparkling citrus top notes just went straight to the mid and all i could smell was some kind of weird gin accord! next disappointment was the performance there just basically no projection and after around twenty minuets i couldn't smell it on myself any-more ! so all in all a very boring underwhelming and dull fragrance that for the money was completely outclassed and out performed by even my ck one which lets face it doesn't set the world alight. i lost ll confidence in dans creations after this. i have now after several failed attempts to sell and swap managed to trade it for a Molinard that i am sure will be more interesting i give this fragrance a 1 out of ten and my worst pick up to date.

Why wasting 150$ on this clone of eau sauvage by Dior?👎 No need to spend more than 30$ on this copy of eau sauvage!

Here's the scene: you've tried 3 other new frags today, you sprayed a couple near the inside of your elbows hours ago. You spray Chanel Allure Homme (the original edt) on the back of your right hand. Nice, a bit predictable, a bit generic, maybe good for the office. This leaves the back of your left hand as the only open skin. Should you try Bon Viveur? You are expecting it will be good, but aren't super excited, this family of frags (eau sauvage, moustache original 1949) has been good in the past, but kind of traditional and utilitarian. You go for it, spray the back of that left hand. You wait 2 seconds and lift it to your nose. Your eyes flicker with energy. You sniff again. Your eyes roll back, your lids come down as you lean back in your chair and slow your breathing. This. This is what those other frags should have been. A whole chorus of beautiful citrus notes popping out individually, with an effervescence, with texture, with style. The gin isn't what you feared, it's bubbly and lifting, there's no harsh aspect or rough edges anywhere. The 3 other frags you tried today don't compare. The Chanel is just some soapy sugar water compared to this. This scent has it all. Absolutely beautiful, approachable. The 20 something waitresses at the pub as well as the retirees at church would both take notice. It's just beautiful.

Three words describe Bon Viveur : restrained, refined, masculine. There is nothing “juicy” about this fragrance. The lemon and lime and orange and mandarin and watermelon are from the opening anchored in the cedar and vetiver and oakmoss. The gin provides a restrained fizz. I could add another descriptor: grown-up. In the early 80s young fragrance-wearers (there were no “frag-heads”) like me wore “colognes” like this: Polo, Aramis, Grey Flannel and Kouros. They were less refined than BV but played in that ballpark. To say that BV is grown up is not say grown-up twenty-year-olds couldn’t wear it. It’s all about maturity, not age. A generation that sees the latest sugarbomb as masculine would not be interested in BV. This is for the menfolk — of whatever age.

I really wanted to love this but it ended up being a strong like. Sadly I pick up no watermelon which is one of the notes I was most excited about. Also I was really hoping for a brighter citrusy summer type of scent. To me this is more of a versatile year round scent but not something I want when it’s scorching out. I know this may sound a little negative but I do think this is a high quality scent that is worth sampling. I get a rich creamy vetiver with a slight citrus top and the rest is a little indistinguishable to my nose. 7.5/10

Accords borrowed from several classic men's fragrances tweaked just enough as to avoid plagiarism. Very nice opening and a beautiful sparkling fresh phase that I wish stayed around longer. In the drydown all I can smell is a more subtle, more rounded variation of Bois Du Portugal that comes off a little stuffy on me. Quality is high, performance also adequate but for me there is just a little too much going on here.

I like it a lot. It's not a citrus based fragrance. You will not smell lemon, orange, Mandarin etc. This is not similar to eau sauvage or Chanel pour Monsieur or things like that. The most prominent note I get is the pepper and a hint of vetiver / oakmoss. This perfume is creamy or oily whatever you wish to call it. It's unique and not comparable to other past perfumes.

I agree with the post below. This is more powdery than I thought it was going to be. Really like the opening but not a huge fan of the powder dry down. I was thinking this would be a more Torino 21 style of fragrance but it's more powder on the dry down. Not for me.

Very high quality fresh / spicy scent. Great character and complexity. The opening citruses are exquisite, as is the creamy dry down. Familiar yet unique. Still detectable on my skin after waking having sprayed the afternoon before.

Great scent, sophisticated and classy for me it's a mix between Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum and Lalique pour homme (lion) and throw in some Navitus Lautus. Great job to MrSmelly and his team.

Less waxy Diorella (2009 Re-Issue) . Effervescent . Agree with harisarif’s comparisons and assessments below. Perhaps also a nod to Chinotto di Languria, perhaps.

I love this stuff. Very smooth and classy and elegant. The perfume in my bottle recently darkened a little and smells stronger. Anyone else have this happen?