1000

I cannot comprehend this perfume, and it is probably my favourite fragrance of all time. My 1985 vintage EDT opens with bitter and herbal notes which immediately put me in mind of gin and tonic, reminding me somewhat of Eau de Cartier. This bitter, bracing opening is incredibly short-lived, and quickly gives way to a very soft, fuzzy, powdery heart where the standout notes (for me at least) are violet leaf, osmanthus, rose, and moss. But these notes don't come close to describing the overall effect of this perfume, and what it does. It consistently eludes all of my attempts at comprehension. And this is perhaps its genius - it's an exeptionally engaging perfume which reveals new facets in each wear. It is a goldilocks composition which is neither sweet nor bitter. It is simulaneously warm and cool. Its overall effect is smooth and shifting, like mother of pearl - iridescent. In fact, this word, 'iridescent' is an apt descriptor here: 'a lustrous rainbowlike play of color caused by differential refraction of light waves that tends to change as the angle of view changes'. There are a number of interesting etymological connotations here: the word is derived from Iris, the Greek goddess whose name means both the rainbow, and the halo of the moon. A messenger of the gods, she was said to travel on the rainbow, and is associated with communication, described as beng a link between the heavens and the earth. Like the Biblical Joseph, she is said to have worn a coat of many colours which created the rainbows she used to travel between heaven and earth. The iris plant derives its name from her, alledgedly on account of its many colours. Iridescent is the perfect word: 1000 is the pale rainbow of a smooth opal or mother of pearl, containing all the colours at once, but shifting so quickly that you cannot ever fully grasp them in your comprehension individually. This is what this perfume does: it offers glimpses of its facets which change with weather, surface of application, time, and temperature. It's olfactory impression is abstract and pale, like a Monet. The overall effect is arresting, absorbing, and quite literally breathtaking. The quality of natural ingredients is so fine, I feel the soul of the plant essences with every rapturous inhalation. The cool of the morning, the burning glory of midday, the blazing energy of the sun channelled back upwards through sappy stem, and released in a sigh of fragrant ephemera - in a bottle. I realise this all sounds very grandiose and indulgent, but this perfume is truly worthy of such praise. Oh how I long to sample the extrait! RIP 1000 - in shallow water, shrimps make fools of dragons. You were doomed to obsolecence in this age of debasement and vulgarity.

Comparison of vintage Extrait and EdT, both bottles c. 1985 I'm a very lucky guy today. I get to visit with an old friend that I haven't often called-on for fear of running-out their company and losing them forever. Ironic, isn't it. I've bemoaned the loss of Jean Patou from our lives more than once, so I'll spare you the wailing and gnashing of teeth this time and focus on the joy - no pun intended - that is Jean Patou's 1000. The openings of each perfume are starkly different in my vintage bottles. A lot of this is due to their age, but a lot of it isn't. The EdT is hot. Fuel-like notes of violet leaf and bracingly bitter bergamot feel as though they might ignite at any moment. The extrait is much richer, pliant, and smoother, which is no surprise for an extrait, but the difference must be noted. The extrait also focuses more on an osmanthus note that is a bit floral and a bit fruity. The heart sections of both are virtually the same, which is to say, completely stunning. Sheer, soft, hazy, and powdery aldehydes abound in both. No surprise, the EdT is "thinner" than the extrait; the texture is lighter, airier, and contains more space. Near equal emphasis is placed on rose, muguet, and jasmine. The extrait's texture is opulent and luscious, like velvet to the EdT's linen. Emphasis is more on the rose than jasmine and muguet. The EdT approaches its final dry down faster, as it should, with significant attention placed upon damp and woody oakmoss and a creamy sandalwood. Hours later than the EdT the extrait reaches the same life stage of damp and woody oakmoss and creamy sandalwood, but the patchouli note is dialed up a notch or two to provide more breadth and depth. The different textures both perfumes have carry-on into their final dry downs and skin scents as well. You have no idea how difficult it was to stay completely objective and clear to describe these two formats. Every inhale I took of either one was an experience that nearly made my eyes roll to the back of my head and my heart flutter. 1000 is a masterpiece in both formats, but, of course, the extrait is first amongst equals. The effort that went into its creation - the use of exquisite and expensive materials blended 1000 times before Kerleo felt he finally got it right - results in a feeling of luxury that is somehow effortless. Luxury can be pushy, heavy, and sometimes just a bit too much. Not 1000. It is luxury without limitations or ego; it's about you and it, not just about it. Like the best of old friends, their company helps you feel complete. It was a lovely visit with this old friend today, and I can't wait to see them again.

1000 was one of the perfumes I looked up to after reading an interview with this perfume and its former employees on "Raiders of the Lost Scent", a wonderful blog about vintage perfumes. (If you are interested in Jean Patou's perfumes and 1000, I think it is a must-read article) Finally I got my hands on an unopened parfum in a handmade jade vial from 1989. I'm sure this will become my treasure. According to the interview, this perfume was probably "the world's most expensive perfume" and at the same time it looks "the world's most expensive perfume to produce and maintain". According to former employees, 1000 did not generate any revenue. The excessive pursuit of ideals and quality may not have been ideal as a business model, but it is a part that I would like modern large companies, where commercial profits are all about, to learn a little from. Let's go back to perfume. The 1000 is a very complex fragrance. 1000 fragrances is probably a myth, but there is certainly a vast amount and variety of fragrances used. What's interesting is that for such a powerful scent, the scent I actually feel is rather quiet. Speaking of a huge amount and variety of fragrances, I think of Bal a Versailles, but Bal a Versailles has each fragrance holding each other and popping out like a bomb. But the 1000 seem to be quietly harmonizing while holding each other's hands. It's like an accomplished chorus group. Even with a large number of people, no one stepped forward, creating a harmonious sound. And unfortunately, I don't think my nose has had enough experience to appreciate them yet. This is my impression at the moment, hoping that I'll be able to understand the 1000 better when I have more time. The top note has a green and floral feel to it. The fragrant rhinoceros is a familiar scent to me, but so far I can't feel the fragrant rhinoceros from 1000. I also feel a little medicine or herb-like scent. I'd like to think it smells good, but I still can't remove the question mark about this stage. But I love the soft harmonious scent from the middle notes. A complex and very elegant and fine fragrance, the notes of which are very difficult to categorize. I can't explain the fragrance well, but I feel very happy to be able to wear this fragrance. The one I love the most is the last note. I think it's sandalwood, very beautiful incense and musk scent. I put it on before going to bed and when I woke up in the morning, I was enraptured by the beautiful scent on my wrist. I want to secure stock while this parfum is still available.

(Review of an 80s vintage Eau de 1000 EdP splash) Oh god, please, tranquilo, my rapidly beating heart, before you thump from my chest. If there was ever a brand to send me into cardiac arrest it’s Jean Patou. What a most undeserving, slow, agonizing and painful death this beautiful brand has suffered. Criminal. Not for the least of reasons is Joy, but 1000 is another we shall forever be at an irrevocable loss without. Supposedly, it took 1000 attempts to create this perfume (starting as an extrait). I can believe it because it shows; it is so complex yet unerring that an incalculable amount of sweat, tears, and blood had to have been poured into its creation. A note pyramid is useless with a creation like this. Don’t bother. Every stage is abstract, and every material so seamlessly joined that it can only be described as a large choir of perfectly pitched voices; no one stands out, but they form a whole that is hair-raising in its beauty. The top is dried herbal, green and vegetal, bitter, citrusy, floral, a bit fruity, and a bit leathery. It’s a lot, and it will quicken the pulse like love at first sight. The heart is a floral amalgam that will make your heart stop. The overall effect is green florals: jasmine, rose, lily, and orris steered by a good heft of geranium. Then, finally, my heart gives out - ceases to beat - and sends me to a warm chypre afterlife of oakmoss and woods. The florals continue to play on, albeit very quietly in the form of orris, while a touch of green vetiver brings the top and heart home into the base that makes you content to pass to the netherworld. They don’t make perfumes like this anymore. They simply don’t. And I’m not some old fart being whimsical and boomer-ish towards the new; it’s the simple truth. To make this perfume new, today, would be a task of an artisanal brand selling it at $500+ for 50mL. It’s just not going to happen. Smells this if you can, you should, in the extrait, EdP, or EdT form - it doesn’t matter. This perfume is a DaVinci moment in the 20th century, to see what’s possible and to get it perfectly right no matter the effort or the cost. Oh, and by the way, if this doesn’t kill you, the extrait will be your coup de grace.

I am so happy the original, pure perfume version of Jean Patou 1000 has been added to the fragrance base! This version is what sparked my love of perfume. When, as a little girl, my mother offered me a sniff of the newly released Jean Patou 1000 it was with trepidation I approached the the small jade bottle. I had been told that it had an ingredient that came from the intestines of an African cat (civet) and it was with horror mingled with curiosity I bent my head towards the little flask. And then: Pure wonder. Nothing that I have ever experienced, before or after, can be compared to this. It was as if I was sucked into the velvety magic of a Thousand and One Nights. It wasn’t until many years later I smelled it again. My husband bought me a little green bottle, the magic was still there and my search for a signature scent was over. This is however one perfume that did not translate well into EdT. (The one I bought I actually threw away, the notes were all over the place with no balance.) This is probably why it so seldom gets the five stars it deserves. The people who love 1000 really, really love it, and that might have something to do with having experienced it in the pure perfume form. So what about the notes? I honestly cannot analyse them. This is probably the most integrated fragrance I have ever smelled. It is smooth and complete like a round, polished piece of amber. I wish to everyone the magic of experiencing Jean Patou 1000 as pure perfume. I haven’t smelled the current version, but even in the days of Procter & Gamble it was wonderful, so I hope it is still the same. To my heart and mind, this is the greatest perfume ever made.

I'm posting here as there's TWO entries for 1000 but THIS one has far more correctly listed notes and it appears to be the extrait rather than a lower concentration... 1000 could easily be a contender for best perfume ever made. As a chypre it rivals even Mitsouko as a reference and it's just as melancholic and arresting. In my zeal more than 15 years ago to ensure I'd never run out of it (in fairness I wear it often!), I collected too many. I have several extraits still sealed in their bottles (pre SA and pre P&G while Kerleo was still at the helm of Patou) and the fact is... I couldn't finish these off within my lifetime and they should not be unopened... If you're looking to score a very carefully stored and perfectly preserved extrait of this (or JOY) send me a message. I'm not looking to get rich I'm merely looking to get back what I paid or I'm even delighted to swap for some other lovely vintage I don't have much of: Shalimar, Parure, Cuir de Russie... I just don't want these gems to go unopened... They need to be opened and worn... They're too beautiful to be sitting here unused.. EDIT: Down to last 3 bottles and I'll likely hang onto them!! Hope all who received one is LOVING IT!!! :)

Rich, classy, decadent and distinctive. This is the "real" 1000 before Patou was sold by the family. It's how I discovered, wore and enjoyed it and how now I only can regret and mourn. What a pity, a disaster. A brilliant brand fallen apart. Imagine that back in 1972 when it was released, the 1000 happy few parisian ladies were delivered a bottle of it by drivers in Rolls Royce... Those days are gone. I do not hunt vintage bottles or buy the newer versions anymore. I definitely replaced it by Soir de Lune in the well crafted distinctive category of (2020) scents.

Oh Mille. This vintage extrait will break your heart and bank account. Its Jackie O in a bottle the sophisticated mesmerizing elusive woman can capture 1000. The secondary market for the extrait is astronomical. As of this review 1oz extrait/$700. Milles dark roses, osmanthus, violets bloom ontop of a musky, bity oakmoss. The mysore sandalwood lends a smoothness and slight powder. A leathery nuance surfaces past mid drydown as 1000 is an elusive shapeshifter of its parts. For the vintage enthusiast, its enthralling

a legend with most allusive background story perfume. This masterpiece is a landmark in perfume artistry. Animalic floral chypre breakthrough with seamless regression layer to layer. Smooth yet commendable. Deep but beautiful. Beastly sister of Joy

Dear lord, the rose on this one! Truly rapturous. Another vintage gem from the peerless Sarah!

I am wearing vintage Eau de 1000 I disliked the top but like it as it settles. goes on very bitter with big oakmoss on top and ALL of the notes in the top including heavy tarragon and angelica, noticeable bergamot, coriander, lots of musty rose; very green and herbal then the rose intensifies but still is offset by the green herbs without being sweet or bitter; pretty violets but not candied and some musk though not skanky civet; gets more beautiful as it dries down and settles into itself

I'm too young for this perfume... On my skin it quickly settles down into a smell of soap and urine. I've tried it on my mom who is about to turn 60 and it smelled COMPLETELY different. Much more defined and with many more tones. On me, the flowers disappeared within seconds!

According to Claire of the brilliant blog Take One Thing Off, legend has it that it took Patou 10 years to make “1000” and 1,000 attempts before being released, hence the name. Jean Kerleo joined Patou 1968, six years after it was already in development, and the parfum was rumored to require a fields’ worth of osmanthus in China that Patou allegedly had to buy in order to secure enough osmanthus for the formula. What I have opted for is the EDT, and its shadowy and somewhat mysterious. The sweet-scented osmanthus is evident, for sure, but I can detect no seams between any of the florals. There is now way to determine where one's outline begins and the other's ends. It's all a continuous whirr, highlighted with bitter sparkles and shaded with a prominent oakmoss throughout its development. There is then a shift where violet and violet leaf push forward in the bouquet, while the more animalic qualities are more apparent a half hour in, comporting themselves quite politely, but nonetheless adding a warm, sensuous nuzzle. What is fascinating is that 1000 somehow teeters between restraint and dynamism, always on the cusp of rapture, but held by the reins in true Kerleo fashion. This is by no means one that modern noses could wrap their minds around, and may scoff at how far from "now" 1000 is; in fact 1000 wasn't exactly "now" in its time of release in 1972. What I love about Kerleo was that he was determined, even stubborn, to preserve the old world glamour of perfume regardless of new trends. It may have made for commercial atrophy for Jean Patou, but its surely resulted in some exceptional releases nonetheless.

Yes, the armature of Jean Patou's 1000 does consist of an immense scaffolding (or trellis?) of rose. A rose so substantial that its presence extends from the middle right down to the base, where it continues to hold its own against the usual basement-dwelling heavyweights of oakmoss, civet, and woods. ...And despite all that rose, or rather because of it, I do not think of 1000 as primarily a rose scent, and for very similar reasons to why I do not think of Patou's Joy as a rose scent either. The rose is serves ever-presently in its functional role, and admirably so, but other notes always steal the scene and demands one's attention. First, there is the memorable violet opening; in truth, my favourite part of 1000. So much so that I am tempted to think of 1000 as primarily a violet scent, even though it only stays for the opening act. (Why ever is it listed as a base note on Fragrantica??). This violet is bolstered by other fainter florals, including rose. But more importantly is the chorus of green and anisic herbal notes: angelica, coriander, tarragon. Unlike the violet, these pungent herbs are persistent, and continue to color the composition well into the drydown. They, and civet, generate controversy (I do 'admire' 1000 much more than I wear it), but they also do generate intrigue. These almost savory herbs are what gives 1000 a strangely modern nuance, ...despite its many old-fashioned ways. Its the fault of marketing, as usual. Back in the 1970s nobody was ready to advertise tarragon perfume. In 2026, the marketers wouldn't be able to shut up about it.

Just a heads-up to Fragrantica readers: sometime in 2018, this page for the vintage formula of '1000' was created, but the page now designated for the recent/modern formula (launched sometime in the 2000s) had been formerly designated for the vintage... and contains many reviews for the original formula that unfortunately are not automatically migrated here. Mine from 2017 read as follows: This review is for the vintage EDP. Definitely a chypre, with oakmoss and labdanum prominent in the base, a bit of weathered patchouli and vetiver that creates a "dark-powder" effect with the other base-notes, musk with just a touch of skanky civet (agree with others on this), but the sandalwood... oh how the wood-tones play so interestingly with the violet! It is absolutely captivating and serene! The other florals (including the apricot-y osmanthus) are merely there as a sweet foil against the overall dryness of this elegant composition. The effect is similar to that of Champagne/Yvresse, exchanging violet candies for the spicy peaches. I cannot tell you how pleased I am with this blind buy of mine- and how highly-appreciative I am of the many spot-on reviews before mine that intrigued the hell out of me! G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S.

Very dark, damp chypre. I often fantasize about the darkest & meanest perfumes out there - aspirational instances of brute force you gracefully never hear, nor see. Then when I meet creatures such as Aromatics Elixir and its immediate kin 'Mille,' they trigger a sort of flight response: wannabe-ism dissolved in anguish. Patou's 1000 develops from the chypre of AE (damp woods, herbs, and geraniol), adding glistening, clingy ornaments: high-pitched animalics (concomitantly evoking dirt & soap), with a hint of fruit (metallic ionones and peach-skin). For me, 1000 sits uncomfortably in between - a hybrid of the medicinal AE and what I reckon the most pornographic of them all, Knowing (1988, also by Kerléo?). Somewhat similar to Zoologist's Nightingale, both give me the suggestion of wearing fur, complete with the animals' suffering breathing down your neck. I hear it's one of Anjelica Huston's favorites.

Love this one and have for many years. There is nothing like it, and to my knowledge no one has tried to copy it. It makes me think of beautiful fall weather with big, bulky, colourful sweaters, golden leaves and leather gloves. It's a very warm scent. Even the EDT is wonderful if you can't afford the real jus. I do love it so. The perfumes I get the most compliments on are this one and Must de Cartier. I wore a little 1000 on a shopping trip one day and the cashier was just in awe of the fragrance. Exquisite dry-down and rich sillage. Better worn in the fall :)

I have a small spray bottle of this and it comes in a brown velvet hinged box. Somehow I have always preferred this over Joy. I never bothered to look up the notes or to read about the creation process of 1000, it’s just so beautiful I didn’t need to know more. But I wished it would project more though so that other people could also smell it too. And the thing is, how can the box smell even better. There must be something in the base that makes 1000 so exquisite but I am glad I don’t yet know why it does.

I have worn this fragrance in several forms since it was introduced. I loved all the versions but don't know the latest ones...Has the original formula been ruined? I especially love the little jade bottles of perfume with the applicator, similar to the black ones for Joy..Recently I found a replacement for the little solid gem that had long been empty...Please send me information about its current situation...to [email protected] ,

I mourn the loss of this perfume as I mourn the loss of my dad...he gave me the flacon that was numbered and in a box. I wore the perfume and eau de toilette. Incredible sillage...stayed in my fur coat for years in the front hall closet. I'd wear this usually fall and winter especially for events....it reminds me of my youth