1000 (1972)
by Jean Patou

Not your typical sweet and heady bouquet so don't get disappointed if you smell something green and somewhat sourish with a little skanky note off the top. Within minutes I can't help but think of Guerlain's Mitsouko and as I discovered later I wasn't the only one who thought so. Patou's 'MILLE' seems to share Mitsouko's mysterious aura though not quite the latter's sophistication. As the scent wears on it gets noticeably brighter, the flowers blooming without any particular individual notes gaining prominence: rose, violet. jasmine, geranium, chinese osmanthus, lily-of-the-valley and iris. Overall, I find this to be an enchantingly original floral chypre with a mature feel to it; certainly not an easy fragrance to wear especially for the younger set. A strong personality seems like a non-negotiable prerequisite else the scent wears you instead.

*** This review is of the EDT ***

I am blown away by this perfume. I have tested this many times before but always at duty free on one of my countless trips through airports . This is the first time I have sat down, non hassled - one to one with this beauty . Angelica ! Violet ! Bergamot ! Yummy !

Most of those notes are my favorites and trust me to find a new love ,just one day before I travel. It opens intense ,green and cool ,yet bright and sparkly that soon mellows out to the jasmine- rose - violet combo , the patchouli comes through a little and just the tiniest bit of skank .
Refined elegance ,luxurious like fine silk - it's wonderful .

I don't have Vibert's nose ( sadly) all I can say is this is a many-layered exquisite scent. I love " Joy" so thought I might not like it as much . It just bowled me over. My love of silk , cashmere and velvet seem to go with a love of rich scents. Vibert says it's qualities are similar to Mitsouko , luckily for me whereas the Guerlain gives me migraine no Patou perfume ever has .

1000 is a an exceptional scent in terms of quality and smell. It has been part of my fragrance wardrobe since 1986.

The "1000" refers to the 1000 flowers of which this scent is comprised. I don't agree with Vibert's description of sweet and fruity, because to me, this scent is anything but: it is dry and and floral with a hint of green. I really like the violet and the osmanthus, the latter being a very rare ingredient in fragrances. But this is such a unique fragrance, it defies description.

1000 is a fragrance for the officianado. I doubt that it has popular appeal. There's nothing else like it on the market. May it live forever!!

A masterpiece that thankfully does not smell dated. The edt opens up beautifully after a heavy bombardment of rather dense and aggressive top floral notes. I can smell my favorite peace note beneath the bouquet. The drydown is impeccably constructed. I'm surprised to see so few reviews for 1000.

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.