1000 (1972)
by Jean Patou

1000 is a somewhat sweet, fruity/floral chypre with tremendous strength and expansive sillage. Its structure makes comparison with Mitsouko inevitable, but 1000 is no sorry clone of the Guerlain classic. Where Mitsouko is dark and mysterious, earthy and smoky, 1000 is comparatively lush, juicy, and round. The forest floor that 1000 evokes is moist and decked with wildflowers, while Mitsouko’s dry understory is seasoned by a distant, extinguished campfire. There’s none of Mitsouko’s melancholy here – with its generous dose of indolic white flowers, 1000 is a much sweeter and more “comfortable” scent.

Louder and more effusive than Mitsouko, or its other close cousin, the reissued Givenchy III, 1000 is the one to wear when you want to announce your presence proudly and then fill the room. Its grand character makes 1000 more difficult for me to wear than the Guerlain or the Givenchy, but I can still recommend it as a top notch chypre.

Patou 'Mille' for me, is one of the most extraordinary perfumes created during the course of the latter part of the 20th century and it came as no surprise to learn that it had taken over ten years to perfect this fragrant jewel.
I remember it's launch in the early seventies and have remained a loyal and faithful devotee ever since.

And Yes, this perfume was not designed for the mass market, the couturier was indeed famous for having created the costliest perfume in the world some forty years earlier, 'Joy'
I'm sure '1000' was created as a homage to Jean Patou and modern counterpart to his 1930's flagship fragrance.
Similarities are apparent in both presentation, design and the liberal use of rare elements in perfume manufacture.
A tribute of great respect, I imagine !

The House of Patou was well established before this beauty made it's grand entrance.
Pedigree alone will not assure the longevity of any contender in this industry of fashion, beauty and fickle fads, much to our collective chagrin with so many Old Time favorites either dying out due to the inaccessibility of essences, absolutes and raw materials or simply being unceremoniously dumped or discontinued.

'1000' is basically a niche fragrance composed primarily of rare, exotic and natural components categorized as Floral Chypre, tending more to the mossy, woody notes interwoven with facets of hidden floralcy.
It's structure is so complex I was initially left bewildered after applying this gorgeous 'juice', there's just so much going on here.
The eventual and complete dry down is astounding, I know of no other remotely similar. Patou 'Mille' in my opinion is Unique !

The Osmanthus seems to impart a slightly creamy green olive odour with overtones of ripe Apricots, Grasse jasmine & rose as the primary floral heart notes ?
Violette odorata concrete and angelica also add weight to this sweet but never cloying combination.
I can only speculate on the other constituents within this phase of the dry down.
The only trade off with this natural beauty is the necessity to re apply if using the lesser concentrations.
The 'Parfum' is absolute luxury, liquid gold !

My fervent hope is for this exceptional perfume to endure, and Heaven forbid not suffer the same fate as has befallen so many other past iconic treasures from 'Patou' !
'Caline'. . . was utterly sublime before 'Sublime'

Long Live the House of "Patou" &
To the Genius of Jean Kerleo !

Jean Patou 1000 is sublime. An exquisitely blended palette of lush floral notes but no cloying syrup here. I have never smelled Chinese osmanthus, in a garden, but will seek it out, since this is the note 1000 is said to be built around. I must now rearrange my personal list of top 5 scents to make space for this bottle of perfection.

Am curious as to why this has been reviewed as “old lady” smelling. Well, if that is so I am glad to be 60 and to appreciate things aged and rare – for this is truly as close to perfection in a bottle as you can get. It is the epitome of elegance:

Tasteful opulence in form, decoration, or presentation
Restraint and grace of style

elegance. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 23, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/elegance

I think the restraint in the perfumers’ art is aptly exhibited with 1000 – no one element screams out a dominant note nor fights for preeminence. There are such smooth segues from top to bottom you don’t even notice the transition. I wish I could afford to own many more bottles of this – I must make a note to place this on my various holiday gift wish lists.

I got prime samples of this along with Joy. Both are still top rank quality. This is Patou's sexy perfume, quietly, refined. Woodsy, soft, mossy, fern-like. Really impressive. I'd much rather wear something that will make a man mutter "what the hell was that?" and want to invistigate further rather than get the Tex Avery response ;).

I also buy on ebay ,(like JOY)
a perfect bottle,perfect jus,
I'm in love with osmanthus also,damasccena rose ,centifiliarose,mysore santal,indonesian patchouli,violeta odorata,
this "jus" it's a jungle in a bottle,
a golden apricot fallen from paradise on a silky bag of pure flawoers and pearl of resin!!tears commes on eyes directly ,pure beauty
pure emotion, MERCI Monsieur Jean ERLEO
for your ten years work!!!
For those who "tell -old fashion-
take look to my remark in JOY case-
in PARIS today,we have to run to colect the last bottle "1000" they stop
!!!it's a pitty ,they whant to destroy our smelly patrimony,tey are mad with they synthetics fragrance allways the same ,allways more allways worse!!!
for maximum money 3 thumbs up and more
for the quite dead 1000 JEAN PATOU

Jean Patou 1000 approaches perfection. It alludes to something utterly sublime. I find it captivating, alluring, hypnotic and, above all, humbling. In its siren song there is the self-forgetfulness that comes from the realization that somethng truly transcendent can be achieved through mastery or inspiration or sheer genius. It embues one with the aura of elan.