Gravitas Essentia

Perfumery of the highest order for proper men. Lavender, mint and citruses to begin with beautiful spices and aromatics in the mid and just an incredibly beautiful base of the greats, vanilla, pachoulli, ambergris and of course oakmoss. All the above, blended by a master craftsman to produce a fragrance that will appeal to any male with even a small amount of testosterone in their body! This is everything a well dressed man with a little style, integrity and intellect can truly appreciate on any occasion and any season. This fragrance can and will do it all, office, working lunch, nights out, grand occasions and most importantly, quality time with your loved ones are all easy money for this piece of beautiful perfumery. The performance is above average. It'll never put a strangle hold on an enclosed space but it will tell everyone and anyone within the vicinity that an articulate and immaculate man is present. You'll have this incredible essence surrounding you for several hours before retreating to a more moderate aura for a good few more. It's a beautiful skin scent until you hop in the shower too. I've been wearing this often over the last few months and have used half the bottle, that's some going when I have a couple of hundred. That's how good Essentia is! Naughton and Wilson are rightly carving out a name for themselves as purveyors of high quality, niche perfumery for today's men of substance and decency They truly deserve all the plaudits and success that is coming they're way for the effort and conception of their whole range. So, back to the specifics, Gravitas Essentia is just a very well done scent using traditional ingredients with enough modernity to make it relevant and a stand out choice for the modern gentleman. This particular product is catnip to me, a beautiful long lasting scent like the gorgeous original but with a touch more freshness, mostly due to the inclusion of the mint note I imagine. This just gives Gravitas a little more.....errr...gravitas as an all year offering! 😆 In addition, this version has seemed to be more noticeable by both men and women. We all know compliments are few and far between (well, they are for me! 😆) but this particular version has certainly attracted attention on a few occasions. Honestly, I couldn't care about what others think whether good or bad, I just know that I have to be happy with my scent but this one seems to please everyone and anyone! To be upfront, I've found the whole N&W range to be right up my street. The way their perfumes are constructed, the performance, quality and ethos behind the brand all align with my own personal values and perceptions. Truly great mens fragrance offering excellent quality at a very reasonable price! I feel this brand rightly sits proudly amongst the likes of Floris, Rogue perfumes and the men's ranges from the big houses like Chanel, Dior even the mighty Creed! Often out performing all the above and offering better value for your hard earned money! As always, I'm not aligned with the brand or connected in any way. Just a regular guy who just happens to love great perfumery.

Finally doing a proper sampling of the latest and fourth release from the UK house of Naughton & Wilson, launched by Dan Naughton, Gravitas Essentia, the sequel / flanker to Gravitas, the house’s first release back in 2020 and a fresh spicy classic-meets-modern blend that understandably launched the house’s success. Gravitas Essentia, as it’s generally been described, replaces some of Gravitas’ spiciness with a bit of minty tingly freshness. So it’s slightly fresher, but not nearly as fresh as Bon Viveur, the house’s second release. It has a good blend of spicy, fresh, and woody notes, with just a touch of sweetness balancing things out, but overall, it’s a classy scent, which, like the other entries in the line, seems like an homage to past classics but with modern updates. Performance-wise, it’s between Gravitas and Bon Viveur, and I’m pleased with it. Gravitas Essentia is EDP concentration, priced at $120-125 for 100ml, extremely reasonable in the current market, given its excellent quality, on par with the rest of the house, and is sold not only via the house site (which ships to the US) but also Luckyscent. 8 out of 10

Unbelievable, John Stephen has done it again. A true manly man’s scent that is also classy. There just isn’t very many modern aromatic founder fragrances on the market today that check all the boxes & truly give me that magical sense of extreme joy. When you sit with a fragrance exploring it’s development you can really tell when the perfumer took their time meticulously curating, balancing, & synergizing the development of a true masterpiece. It’s greener than pour home with the bay leaf & mint swirling beautifully & boldly above the base of vanilla oakmoss & patchouli. The vanilla is smoother & less creamy than the vanilla of the pour homme perhaps because this is EDP rather than extrait. This is so lovely classy & enjoyable. God I wish there were more aromatic fougeres of this quality, performance & price point. I’m so happy that we have these 2 at the price points there at, simply magnificent.

This is great. If you liked the original Gravitas, you'll like this one. This is simply Gravitas Pour Homme for warmer weather. Gravitas Essentia is perfect for Spring and Summer, while the original Gravitas Pour Homme is perfectly at home in Autumn and Winter. Essentia is a lighter, brighter, fresher version of the original. I can't see myself owning both, though, as that seems redundant. Essentia and Pour Homme smell extremely similar, with only density and longevity separating them. I bought the original first, so I'll stick with that, but if you don't own either, get Essentia. You can wear it year-round in virtually any temperature or occasion.

As a mature man, Gravitas Essentia is a quite impressive Aromatic Fougere style scent. The quality of materials is first class and the smell fantastic. On my skin the longevity and sillage are just right. The value on this product is excellent for the price. This fragrance will be a major part of my rotation in the future. This is my 1st purchase of a Naughton & Wilson product, however; now I am very intriqued and apt to discover more within the N&W line-up.

Fantastic scent,much like the original but definitely fresher.I love both though to be fair.Very Classy manly fragrance.I also have the chypre fulminate which is good but I definitely prefer the Gravitas duo Haven't tried Bon viveur as I'm told it smells like Eau Sauvage eau de parfum 2017 which I already own. Can anybody confirm this?

Excellent classic Fougere... I like this a bit better than the original Gravitas. Fresher, cleaner, brighter... Not as heavy on the oakmoss / vanilla combo... (to my nose). I have Gravitas, Gravitas Essentia and Chypre Fulminare. All 3 are excellent... If you enjoy the classics... Checkout the House of Naughton & Wilson.

A very wearable and fresh take on the classic barbershop scent. Almost creamy and smooth. I really like it. Compliments have all been from older gentleman, so that’s clearly the audience for it. Weak longevity but great sillage for those 3-4 hours. Perfect for the morning and I can switch it up in the afternoon.

Great fougère. Spicy, fresh, minty, and just the right amount of sweetness/creamy vanilla and musk (ambergris) that rounds everything up. Clean, true to the genre but a bit modern at the same time. I'm really enjoying it.

My favourite N&W thus far Great for a springmorning. @farnsworth3 down here got the right idea, however sillage and longevity are an easy 6 hours for me and i get compliments from ladies of all ages.

Great classic fougere: warm and spicy, fresh and manly. Reminds me of Roja Scandal. My next purchase!

I just wasn't wowed by the intensity, longevity, and sillage of the scent at its target price point. Gravitas Essentia IS NOT a bad fragrance. It is a gentlemen's scent that smells great. However, it just didn't fully wow me. I just had higher hopes for a more quality modernized, barbershop fougere fragrance with a lasting scent. The fragrance is fairly light on my skin. I have to sniff my arm in an abrasive manner just to the fragrance, and I don't enjoy that. I want to like and truly enjoy the scent, but again, it's so light on my skin. Like I said, Gravitas Essentia is a great fougere scent. But, I WOULD NOT say that Gravitas or Gravitas Essentia are unique fragrances. I saw another reviewer say that earlier, and I disagree with them regarding uniqueness. Both fragrances are in-line with other traditional, fougere fragrances. As stated, I like the scent. I just wasn't wowed by the intensity, longevity, and sillage of the scent at its target price point. Gravitas Essentia sells for $140.00 (plus or minus $20.00), but I WOULD NOT pay anymore than $65.00 maximum for the scent given the issues with sillage, longevity, and intensity. This is why I advocate sampling fragrances. But, this is all my opinion. For ANY fragrance, read reviews before buying it, but take them with a grain of salt (including my reviews). Everyone has their own opinion regarding smells. Some people love a specific fragrance. Some people hate it. My advice is for you to GET A SAMPLE OF ANY FRAGRANCE BEFORE YOU BUY IT. That way, you can assess it yourself and have your own thoughts rather than strictly going off someone else's thoughts and opinions. Enjoy your day, everyone!

Update as of date Dec 28,2024: I underestimated that "it" factor the original Gravitas Pour Homme has over the Essentia version. The original has a certain soft spicy sexiness from the intoxicating mix of cardamom, vanilla and ambergris - that warm, soft spicy sexiness is missing in the Essentia version which was probably by design to make it lighter for hotter weather. But in doing so, it strips the original from what made it one of the most modernized fougeres on the market. Needless to say I have added Gravitas Pour Homme to my collection over the holiday season rather than Essentia and I have no regrets. ========================================= This is too much like the original Gravitas to own both. For my personal tastes, I prefer Essentia because it can be worn year-round with no issues. The original was beautiful but that triple threat combo of spices+vanilla+oakmoss in the drydown can be too heavy for warm weather and for the office or any environment where you'll be in small spaces with people. Essentia isn't as thick - but it still retains the key characteristics of the original - which, to me, are the lavender opening that has some spicy and green touches & the slightly salty but airy and fluffy vanilla+ambergris drydown. I personally think that in terms of signature-scent worthy options, this is one to be considered.

2 sprays on chest @11AM— Basically a significantly less spicy, smoother & fresher Creed Viking. Very Mellow. The opening is absolutely fantastic.. you get a very clean & fresh mint w/ bergamot, lavender & a touch of the bay leaf. Early dry down is a clean, airy ambergris & lite vanilla combo that remains fougere. Late dry down (5+ hr later)— the vanilla really comes to surface, giving an annoying & unwanted slight heaviness over a touch of patchouli & coriander. ** only using 1/2 a spray & the issue is resolved while keeping a fantastic scent bubble ** Comparison of refinement—This is like how Prada Carbon is a smoother/ refined Sauvage EDP. Or How PDM Darly is a refined Le Male. Take away the spice & rose from Viking, add a cleaner, more prominent mint & vanilla you get this dapper frag. Makes a fantastic alternative w/ higher quality ingredients. I spray fragrances on my chest & in doing so the scent transfers onto my shirt. I’ve learned to stop doing that because on clothing the scent is altered a bit & certain notes linger greatly than others. On clothes, Unfortunately the late dry down is almost a dealbreaker for me, the vanilla just becomes a tad cloying & headache inducing over time in warmer weather. This vanilla stage lasts into the next day on clothing. On straight skin the vanilla is airy & not as pronounced.

I never smelled the original Gravitas. I didn’t think I would like it since I’m not a fan of the heavy use of vanilla in my fougères. So, I thought that I’d give Essentia a shot. The vanilla here is subdued and the herbs amped up. I get aspects of Invasion Barbare, Lalique Pour Homme(lion) and TF’s Beau De Jour. I don’t think Essentia smells like Scandal and I doubt it smells like Ugly Bastard Bud. The aforementioned fragrances are ranked 1 and 2, respectively, in the This Perfume Reminds Me Of section as of the time of this review. Sillage and longevity on my skin is moderate. I think this is a perfect work and night out scent for winter, spring, and fall. I really don’t envision anyone in their 20s wearing this. However, if you are a fan of classic fougères, give this one a try. I will wear Essentia more this Fall and will update if my opinion changes. Update: This thing last all day. I get at least 12hrs longevity. However, after about the 4th hour, Gravitas Essentia falls apart. In the far dry-down, you are left with this cloying vanilla, patchouli, and musky combo that is off-putting. It's a shame because I really like the top and mid of this fragrance.

My favourite from this house, this is an improvement on the original Gravitas. A smoother, more original scent which goes in a slightly different direction and is not a Fougere Royale wannabe, but has a mind of its own. If the price drops I may buy a full bottle, but not at the current price, which is excessive. That said, the quality is very good for a non-designer, independent brand. Edit: I nabbed a bottle in a Black Friday sale and I must say after several wearings that it is very similar to the original with a dash of mint. I prefer this one over the original, but having both is redundant because they are so similar.

I had high hopes for this one. It is a very pleasing fougère; however, in my opinion, it smells so much like the inexpensive Brooks Brothers Country Club that I wish I had sampled it first instead of buying a full bottle (one day I will learn). I am also a bit disappointed in the longevity - it only lasted about three hours on my skin. I will enjoy it, but it is definitely not one I would buy again.

The scent itself is great, unique, and somewhat versatile. Maybe I got a weird batch, but it doesn't last or project at all.

I own a full bottle of Gravitas Pour Homme and a sample of Gravitas Essentia. You can definitely detect the DNA of the original Gravitas in Gravitas Essentia. Essentia has a lot more freshness; not surprising as it adds the notes of mint, artemisia and bay leaf. Compared to Gravitas there is a lot less spice and vanilla. Imagine the original with less spice, less vanilla, and some green minty freshness. I'm reminded a lot of the opening of Creed Viking, which I own and love. It has that same lavender, citrus, mint combo. Viking becomes a lot spicier throughout its life than Essentia though so only the opening of Viking is comparable. In the end, I don't see the point in owning this and Viking, as Viking already fills the role that this would for me. Also, although Essentia is different enough to stand on its own, it still has a lot of the DNA of the original for me to own both. Great fragrance though, worth checking out.

This immediately brought to mind both Memo Russian Leather and Issara by Dusita. I liked the the scent profile quite a bit, especially with the mint, but like with Issara, there was a quasi-metallic facet that started to irritate me. So this is like a tribred of Gravitas OG, Russian Leather, and Issara. I understand the comparisons to Tom Ford Beau de Jour and Creed Viking, but I disagree with those comparisons. Since I have Russian Leather and Gravitas already, and that metallic sheen irritates me, I'll pass on a full bottle.

Gravitas Essentia is a masterfully curated tribute to heritage perfumery, revitalized for the modern landscape. It is smooth, slightly herbal, and thoroughly sophisticated. For the collector who values the timeless aesthetic of a classic gentleman's aesthetic but requires a lighter, fresher signature for the warmer seasons, this independent British creation is an essential addition to the wardrobe.

A nice basic fougere, musky aftershave, but right off the bat it’s a little too metallic and sharp for me, there’s something herbal & bitter that needs balance otherwise it’s not a bad scent

Top Notch.. a must buy for all barbershop style scent lovers...the remind me of section...I agree totally. .

I have a full, sealed 100ml bottle available for sale at a reasonable price. EU transaction preferred.