Reviews of 1903
by J Peterman

A great scent for the gentleman. Slightly powdery but smokey. Fantastic drydown of very masculine bases: tobacco, woods, leather. With the notes listed above, the elemi comes across reminiscent of Oscar for Men (2000), very strong yet lightly minty woods. Great all around cologne.

Hands down my favorite scent...and my secret weapon. About 10 years ago my uncle was wearing 1903 and I couldn't get over the smell. Leathery, woody, mossy...these are common phrases when describing a fragrance but this is anything but common. It was one of the most intriguing and exquisite scents I had encountered. He was very mysterious and didn't tell me what he was wearing but when I saw him next he gifted me a bottle and its been a must-have ever since. This is hands-down the one that I get the most compliments/questions about - since its only available on the J. Peterman website, its still relatively unknown and most definitely unique. I don't really see alot of resemblance to VCA PH (another favorite) as one of the reviews mentioned below. Really have yet to find anything quite like it.

A great scent which gets me a lot of compliments. A little goes a long way, and has great longevity. I almost don't want anybody to know about it, like it's my little secret. However, too many people ask me what it is, and I'd rather it be popular so it stays in production.

I first smelled this scent in the early 90's at one of J. Peterman's mall stores. Simply amazing. Like nothing I had ever experienced. But my then girlfriend did not like any scents at all. Fast forward to 4 years ago - different girlfriend different reaction! Still amazing. Starts out with clean citrus, moves quickly through the green note and clary sage to get to the amazing drydown. The pyramid says it all . Smoky, woody, leather and incense. My favorite Autumn scents. Just like ratri my
girlfriend cannot remove herself from my neck when I wear this. Thank you J. Peterman for taking a chance on that fitted leather train case

Very nice green woody fougere that reminds me greatly of Patou pour Homme or Van Cleef & Arpels PH. Sort of the poor man's version of these two. The price is exceptional for a fragrance of this quality (available on the j peterman web site). Has that special drydown that is clean mossy woods that I swear is identical to these other two great ones from the 1980's. It is a little more playful at the opening and definitely less overbearing in strength, but smells really good. Don't see iris, patchouli or pepper in the frag note pyramid, but it smells the same on drydown anyway. Nice leather combination base note too.

My first blind buy of 2007, not bad since it is May, and my New Year's resolution was to give them up entirely. Anyway, Peterman's 1903 is a very nice light man's fragrance. Doesn't really smell "vintage" to me. I think it is very contemporary very early 21st century - subtle, lean, and "atmospheric" rather than full-bodied and rich, which are adjectives that I apply to older fragrances. In any event, it is very enjoyable. You have to put quite a bit of this to get much projection and complexity. I love the citrus and tobacco elements here. The tobacco evolves from a dry, straight forward ,mild burley to a sweet cavendish aromatic. Lovely. This is a good fragrance for spring and summer,and it reminds me a bit of Il Profumo's G-11, which has a lot of the same notes but more of them. It only lasts about 2.5-3 hours on me, but those are nice hours. Could they come out with a "extreme" version of this? Enjoy!

I was floored the first day I wore this. Slightly sweet, green and a little smoky, it drew positive comments all day. I think it can be an all year scent, but probably at its best in the Spring and Summer.

I couldn't agree more with Docwinters assessment. I'm in my mid-forties and over the last three decades have owned a lot of scents, and 1903, more than any other, has elicited inquiries, turned heads and even gotten whispered commentary from passing women, such as, "Damn, that smells good!" It's clean and masculine in an entirely unpretentious way. The middle and base notes meld into a warm, mellow drydown that evoke a sense of contentment, like the reassuring feeling of sliding into a large, perfectly worn, leather chair. Just amazing stuff! I only hope J. Peterman can keep his house in order so this wonderful scent is around for years to come! One of my top three and highly recommended!

This is a real change from my usual spicy, heavier scents. As it stands right now, 1903 is the lightest scent I own. The drydown is pretty subtle on me, staying close to the skin. I'm getting around an hour or so of decent strength, it dies down considerably after that.

Isaac

When this first came out, I sniffed a scent strip in the J. Peterman catalog and knew I had to buy it for my husband. I am so glad I did! (And so is he!) This is THE sexiest cologne I've ever smelled. To me, it smells exactly like a man should. It has the leather, tobacco, woody, and resin notes that make me want to just attach myself to his neck permanently. The aftershave balm is just as wonderful (and great for sensitive skin as it soothes skin, rather than burns it with alcohol). I also love its uniqueness and hope, like Docwinters, that not too many people catch on! I make sure my husband ALWAYS has a bottle of this.

Totally agree with the previous reviewer. Unbelievable scent, its like wearing a portable rootbear float. Hints of sweet and elaborate tabacco followed by a settling into a pleasant smoky, sweet wood that will last quite a while.It makes me think of what it would be like to step into a very manly, yet extravagant 1903 wooden home. Very unique.. get the spray bottle. The 1903 wood encased flask is nice but the decant is a much nicer application method. Can't go wrong.

I hope that nobody reads this. Why, you ask? Because, I have "discovered" one of the most complex, interesting, powerful, and intoxicating scents currently being sold. I have obviously not tried them all, but have tried many over the years and have owned more than enough to justify this lofty opinion. Beyond that, whenever I wear 1903, people (women in particular!) stop me cold and ask (demand would describe the experience better) for the name of what I'm wearing. Usually and reluctantly, I'll give up my little secret and tell 'em! 1903 is only available from J. Peterman's online website, period. It is not discounted anywhere. It really is unique and long-lasting. No hyperbole is necessary. The base notes refuse to disappear on my body and clothes even 24 hours later. This despite calling itself a cologne. It represents Peterman's approach to fashion and style perfectly, assuming you know what that is! It is also available in a complimentary after shave balm and incredible shave cream. All products are not cheap, but priced fairly. I freely confess to taking a modicum of satisfaction from the thought that I possess something special that few others even know about, let alone own. That however, is also incredibly selfish. So now, the cat is out of the bag. Only now, someone will actually have to read this first!