Albert Nipon
Albert Nipon (1983)

This lovely little number with its burnt sienna juice is a more reserved version of classic, woody, spicy ambers like Youth Dew, Cinnabar and Opium. There are moments reminiscent of Germaine Monteil Royal Secret as well. It sits a bit closer to the skin than any of the aforementioned, and would seem somewhat redundant at this point for me. However, if I saw a bottle sitting around with a cheap price tag, waiting for a new home, I wouldn't mind adopting it.

The citrus, is long gone, from my vintage bottle... This starts as a dark floral which is a very winter-appropriate scent. Pungent, non-sweet florals with some peppery nuances. There are some slight indolic bits underneath. This frag is thick and damp. Woodsy notes lie at the base like a bed, for the flower notes. Carnation and rose are a smidge stronger, while the jasmine provides a touch of indole. And while I do deem this a winter scent, summer heat and humidity seem to bring out notes of cinnamon and clove nicely, while mingling with the floral notes.

As time goes on, a gentle sweetness rises, taming the darkness. Old musk flavors and more dampness from oak moss enhance, with longer wear.

One can tell that this is old-school, an 80's fragrance. It isn't popular, as most 80's fragrances go. Still, it deserves its place in history as a fine classic, as the only release from the Nipon family.

I liked the pure perfume of this fragrance in the 80s. I have to agree with Jean Patou Fan regarding the similarity with Opium (though softer and more powdery), and Youth Dew, rather than Cinnabar, is the more how it was on me. Though, as with all fragrances, we all perceive them differently, and they obviously develop differently on everyone's skin; however, I still can't see this fragrance resembling Mahora on anyone! Also, fragrances are often reformulated, and different vintages, as well as different concentrations can vary tremendously. I can definitely see the similarity with Coromandel in the drydown.

ALBERT NIPPON (1983)

The Nippons were American designers, whose creations for women were sought by top celebrities in the 1980s. Notoriety ended their careers when Albert was convicted of fraud and tax evasion and had to serve a term in a penitentiary. The firm went bankrupt eventually.

Only two scents emerged from this house, one in 1983 named simply Nippon and a re-formulation in 1985 named, Albert Nippon.

This is a spicy, warm oriental, much in the vein of Tabu, Tuvache and Youth Dew. I get a good deal of cinnamon and carnation in the heart. As it dries down a green note enters to give it a freshness.

It is not as heavy or strong as Opium or the above named orientals. It is much more balanced and subtle. As such, it is recommended. Bottles are still available for sale on the Internet. Be certain you buy one of the originals in the distinctive bottle with the tied bow motif. Quite affordable. One of those forgotten scents from the decade of the 1980s that proves a most enjoyable vintage find.

I don't find this one spicy and woody until it dries down, and even then, it's by no stretch as spicy as something like Opium or Cinnabar, or as woody as, say, beloved Theorema. I have the EDT, and my closest reference is actually Mahora! It's big like that, and the "white floral" smells to me like the mellow, buttery, lovely tuberose in Mahora.

Now - I like the individual high quality components of Mahora. It's a Guerlain, after all, even if it's a suffocating disaster of a composition. Albert Nipon is better as a whole, more modulated and less of a behemoth, and with that floral butteriness and deep, smoldering base, it's just bewitching in small doses. It's certainly potent, even as an EDT, yet it melts into skin chemistry and has the softness of a vintage chypre as it dries down. I'm not sure I would have identified it as an 80s frag, or even as a floral oriental, because it just doesn't fit that neatly into one genre, much like Vol de Nuit doesn't.

I've never seen it listed anywhere, though I also get a fruit note used like the peach in Mitsouko or plum in old Rochas Femme. Not at all a fruity scent in today's terms, I recognize the fruit rounding its personality and bridging its divergent accords, a trick in the background.

Really nicely done, and not at all out of place in my wardrobe of old musty, weird, and powdery classics.

I originally tried Albert Nipon in the early 80s, when it was brand new into Harrods. I have only tried the Parfum version of ths fragrance, and it really is quite a remarkable one! From the elegant packaging to the beautful bow topped bottle, which reminds me of the original Chloe parfum bottle.

On me the perfume turns into a beautiful powdery mixture of Opium, Cinnabar and Jicky, with a very subtle chypre note thrown in. After about an hour of being worn, the perfume develops a note which reminds me of Coromandel, though it is not sickly like it.

It's such a pity that this perfume has apparently been discontinued, though the EDT is still being sold online (albiet in a much plainer bottle than the original, which was similar to the Parfum).

Fans of sweet oriental perfums will love this one