1000 (1972)
by Jean Patou

Top notes: coriander, green notes, bergamot and tangerine
Middle notes: iris, violet, jasmine, chinese osmanthus, lily-of-the-valley, rose and geranium
Base notes: sandalwood, amber, musk, patchouli, civet, oakmoss and vetiver

In my humble opinion, Jean Patou 1000 is a vintage-only affair, as this fragrance has done extremely poorly in reformulation, however if you are able to track done a well preserved vintage then you are in for a decadent treat. 1000 is an opulent and abstract floriental with a heart of indolent osthmanthus and dark, complicated violets. Heady, intoxicating, narcotic.
It is such a well-blended fragrance that comparisons to other scents do not come easily, although I was able to identify a distant relationship to Narciso Rodriguez for her, based on the osthmanthus note.
The EdT wears like and EdP or stronger, with a touch a sweetness, velvety smoothness, and about a mile of depth. A scent with classic grandeur, if you get the right bottle.

30th January, 2012.

I tend to like "old lady' perfumes. When I wear them, I feel like a flapper or I feel like a Gibson girl. In this, I feel like I'm in a nursing home. This is not "old lady," this is positively geriatric. I think it was the very intense floral notes added into the chypre which remind me of a woman dying from old age with flowers surrounding her. I tried to scrub it off my skin, but it lasted just as strong for hours -- so I feel it has good longevity for those who like this scent.

29th September, 2011.

I've tried the EDP of 1000 a couple of times, and I always love the dark topnotes, but it's the EDT that I love from start to finish. There is a creaminess to the EDP that is less distinctive than the sharpness of the EDT. This keenness binds the florals and woods tightly. The layers, really more floral than woody at the start, are densely arranged, but evenly organized. Like the crisp pages of a brand new hardcover book the first time you thumb through it.

There's just enough civet, just enough indole. They don't take the lead, they modulate the tone of the florals. They're just present enough to add complexity while not standing out as identifiably discrete notes. From the opening through drydown, 1000 is utterly coherent, and despite others' characterizations of old-school, old lady perfumery, I find it mysterious. I think the, Is it a floral? Is it a chypre? question 40 years later reflects its complexity and wonderfully baffling personality.

1000 is more upright than uptight, more toned than starched. Some perfumes shout, some whisper seductively. 1000 simply speaks very clearly and intends to be heard whether it is fully understood or not.

8th September, 2011. (Last Edited: 24th September, 2011.)

There is a shortage of sophisticated osmanthus perfumes. The soliflores are trendy now, but they always make the easy allusion to tea. 1000 is very oriental in the asian sense, even if it is a classical chypre. The song Hong Kong Garden by Siouxie and the Banshees comes to mind, Marie Antoinette soundtrack and everything. This is a dark, glamorous and exotic scent, certainly not accessible but pleasant. Although many people associate civet with old ladies, it is used exquisitely, giving this perfume great staying power and sillage. The osmanthus combined with the aldehydes and civet create a brandied peach accord. I really enjoy all the herbs in it, as well; cool, slightly medicinal with pronounced indoles.

26th May, 2011.

Stereotyped-Luxury at its best. Nothing that I will ever enjoy or appreciate. In the openig I get rose, violet, fruits and maybe jasmine. After a few minutes the rose note gets dominant for a while to settle down again camouflaging with other ingredients such as patchouli amber and sandalwood (this is the best part). There's a lot going on here as 1000 is quite a complex composition but as I'm not into this kind of scents I got immediatley bored and didn't pay much attention. It's loud, sweet and has a "perfumery" feeling I can't stand. I get the comparisons made with Mitsouko - even if the Guerlain's perfume is way more distinctive - but I don't get the ones with Gray Flennel or Farenheit.

Sorry folks, but I prefer discreet elegance to "furs-and-monogrammed-purses".

13rd April, 2011. (Last Edited: 23rd April, 2011.)

God I love this! Won't try to break out the notes. Suffice it to say it's a massive chypre. Austere, grand, uncompromising and very womanly. Herbaceous and somewhat dry and bitter floral. Never boring, doesn't fade to some vanillic blandness (I'm sure that's not really a word!) The far drydown is animalic and civety. Very strong, but with civilized sillage, you won't knock people out, but you won't wonder if you remembered to put it on either. This is perfumery at its best and nothing else compares. Makes Chanel No. 5 look like a "wannabe". This review is for the EdP, which it looks like the morons at P&G have shelved as it's not listed on the Patou website and is getting very hard to find. I almost can't bear what has happened to the industry . . .

12nd January, 2011.