Caleche Hermes for women

the first blast of aldehydes in this will practically knock you off your feet. it reminds me of k krizia, but unlike k it dosen't stay sharp. it mellows out to a wonderful softly sweet and dry floral. i love dry perfumes. this was a pleasent surprise as i didn't expect to like this at all on first sniff. the lasting time was good as well, over 5 hrs until i showered for work or it would of probably been still detectable. nice.

Did somebody say Chanel No. 5? If you've tried Chanel 5 but weren't too sure about it, try this. It's very similar but has a slight variation on the theme that might appeal to you.

I get a huge blast of the aldehydes and bergamot sitting on top of jasmine. The vetiver peeks its head above the parapet just enough for me to know that it's there.

In my (uneducated) opinion, very nicely blended and a great classic scent. Rich, opulent and sophisticated.

When sprayed on paper, I love it. But it reminds me so much of White Linen! If I want to smell like White Linen, I can buy White Linen at half the price of Caleche.

----like a peppery old crusty leather ladies shoe from my grandmother's cedar lined closet. I am 43. She threw her white linen church gloves in the closet with the patents after washing her hands with Ivory at Marshal Field's during the Christmas rush to purchase the silver tea pots for the after mass tea. Church, white lace and brown leather shoes. and pepper not fruit. flowers--perhaps dried up musty attic flowers.
I don't hate, I just--wow--old...and I like old. I just don't necessarily want to walk around with the smell of a funeral following in my wake. ..and I was going to be a funeral director.

The perfume is not bad but also not too good perhaps due to so many similar fragrances are available in the market, this doesn't stand tall.
Like so many feminine fragrances of 60's and 70's, this one also differs from the most of the female fragrances being commercially prepared nowadays which are sweet and floral. Rather this one is more inclined towards chypre/floral side.
It starts with burst of spices and flowers then rapidly evolves into calm, smooth and creamy aroma which resembles a good quality female body lotion/cream. It's dry down is prominently soft and powdery. There maybe some woody notes also but I am not able to detect them.
I must say it is a soft romantic fragrance best for evening wear and for intimate moments. Suites better for spring and winter season.
Projection is weak, Longevity is good.
I give it 7.2 out of 10.

wow wow wow I love this one, somehow I can picture white fluffy clouds and floating lol yes it does have powdery soapy quality to it but to me it smells divine, clean and comforting and very classy. Good longevity too and I want to keep smelling my clothes all the time ;-)

This used to be a very nice fragrance before they reformulated it. Now it does smell like chanel nº 5, although nicer and softer.

This was my first real perfume in the early 1970s. A lovely floral, very "couture". Reminds me of Cacherel shirts and strict navy gabardine.

Yes, it has a bit sharp opening but after that the smell becomes the best floral bouquet of flowers I've ever smelled. I couldn't stop sniffing my wrist. It is a little bit soapy and powdery but I could never call it a smell for a mature woman. On me it is 100 percent floral composition in a very classic bright and uplifting way. Nothing about being heavy or seriuous (I tested it in october). Sillage was wonderful, longevity 6 hours plus.

Aprilmoon I know what you mean I had this many years ago, and could not wear it, so I gave it to one of my friends, and she was happy with it.Quite a strong perfume.

I scored a bottle of this at TJ Maxx long ago, and hated it once I got it home. I cannot describe it...reminded me of finger nail polish remover. There was nothing pretty about it.

Starts off with a juicy citrus aldehydic burst, then softens to powdery floral with touches of rose, ylang ylang and iris. A musky, leathery, animalic note lingers in the background and grows more apparent as Caleche dries, keeping the florals from going too powdery or sharp. Warm mossy dry woods round out the scent, and I can't help thinking this is one of the truest chypres I've smelled thus far. Feminine and classy with a hint of masculinity to give pause. I can understand the references to Chanel No.5, but Caleche seems more like a second cousin rather than a direct relative.

This is an old standby of mine for the workday. Stays on, not too powerful or too sweet but I can understand how on some it would come off like an old handkerchief. Remember Maggie on Northern Exposure? This was her favorite.

LaniC -- excellent observation and very aptly described by you, but it is that very hint of pathos that makes this such a very special scent. Just as a tinge of sadness makes music more beautiful. And how, at the height of joy we can be reminded of some long gone bitter-sweet memory. A good scent should always suggest a number of conflicting emotions.
And, once it has hit the right note it should never EVER be reformulated.

Wore it for evenings from the time I discovered it, 1977, until about 2008. Now, I can't even get it at the Hermes Boutique -- their link took me directly to "Kelly Caleche" (whaaaaat?)
So, I'm now in the market for substitutes and might even consider very seriously formulated fakes: Perfume makers, are you listening? Perfume forgers, get into your labs.
Just as no person is indispensable, no perfume is indispensable. I will find a Caleche-like fragrance in the end, even if I have to make it myself!!
Any suggestions anyone?

I used to love this and it was my signature scent in 80's. I don't know if my taste changed or the product changed... I don't like it anymore.

I used to wear this perfume in the 70's in NYC. Men used to stop and ask me what it was all the time. I've never worn a perfume that created that reaction other than Oscar de la Renta, which I used to love, but it seems to smell different these days...maybe it's just me.

I can appreciate the history, the background, and the reputation of Caleche. In many ways, it is a beautiful scent. It is clean, elegant, and polished. Yet it leaves me cold. The best ingredients are all there, all masterfully blended, but it lacks personality. It reminds me of a well-dressed, cultured woman who has read all of the right books, goes to all of the right events, and mingles with an elite crowd, but she is too stiff and status-conscious to enjoy life. I feel a sense of oppression and sadness in this scent, maybe because its heavy soapiness conjures the image of luxurious flowers and spices "imprisoned" within four walls of soap fixatives. Normally soapiness doesn't get to me in a perfume, but for some reason, I can't bear it in this one. Maybe it's my body chemistry that makes this fragrance a disaster on my skin. Maybe I was just unfortunate enough to get a bottle that was a little off. Either way, I will keep this on my perfume shelf and off of my skin.

I never knew that my bottle of Calèche is the same to Madame Rochas Parfum de Toilette first release in 1960. Quite shocking actually that Guy Robert made the formula in 1960 for Rochas and changed only a minor detail of the same perfume for Hermes in 1961 for their release of Calèche. Needless to that I adore both!

I have the EdT, presumably the latest, reformulated version, but I’m not sure. It starts off sharp, aldehydic, and very synthetic-smelling with a lot of citrus, including something that manages to smell a little like yuzu. Then it turns into a powdery, aldehydic floral.

The sillage is a soft floral, almost like ylang-ylang, while the aldehydic-citrus is apparent close to the skin. There’s sandalwood in the base, and a little musk, but it’s not strong, allowing the florals to persist up to the end. For an EdT, the sillage and longevity are good, 6-8 hours on skin, and still present on clothing the next day. It's too floral for my taste, but if you like chypres, you would probably like Caleche.

This perfume is pure, classy perfection. It is the epitome of chic and much cleaner than Chanel no.5. My all time favorite fragrance.

Caleche(low carriage from the 19th century,svelte,light)...The name refers to the world of the horse. 1961,The first women's fragrance of Hermes,one of the most amazing perfumes ever created by Guy Robert.Rose,jasmine,iris,ylang ylang adorned in aldehydes,sandalwood and vetiver....

This perfume is pure heaven! It smells so classy and sophisticated. I dont think it smells like Chanel no.5. It's much much better than that. More complex and more dry. It's for a woman that is not afraid to be unique.

Maybe Caleche (soie de parfum) is going to be my new signature scent (at long long last, will I have a signature scent again?).
It is feminin, chic, totally disarming and enchanting. Received a 100 ml bottle today over the mail and am terribly pleased...!

I agree Caleche seems very much like N°5 de Chanel. There is great similarity in the hart and base notes, but I can not wear N°5 without getting a severe headache.
(Without exception all Chanel perfumes give me a headache, even stress, which certainly won't do.)

Not this golden soie.
No worries, just fun!
A timeless classic.



Edit 22/04:
Alas, this one is no more. In the end the drydown reminded me too much of White Linen, which in my case won't do either.

Mmmmmm. So glad I found this site. It has led me on so many heavenly perfume journeys.

Tried this today. Wonderful at first blast, filled with that classic, classy rich floral aldehyde joy. I'm thinking, this is good, good, good. Just what I'm looking for.
Then, there was a bit of a bump in the journey. Something (and looking at the middle notes I can't work out what!)starting turning this into a varnish, lacquer type smell. Oh no, I thought, not another no go with my chemistry (or is it my nose???). That to die for, restrained and expensive floral note was still there, but overlaid with this very chemical note.
Then, finally, it disappeared. And I was left with a sweet, but powdery sweet, not screeching sweet, classic floral with depth from the woods. Just divine. A truly complex, enticing aroma. And every time I lift my hand, I get the whiff. Just think ladies at cocktails and lunch, Audrey Hepburn type, with exquisitely made and fabriced dresses, and pearls or discreet diamonds. That's the word for this, discreet, but alluring. In the same style as Chanel No 5, and Organza. Very expensive, very enticing.
On my wish list, but not cheap, so I'll have to wait, sadly. I agree, it wears close, but stays long, it doesn't disappear on me.

This is quite a controversial perfume , from what i can see on the reviews .
I Will cherish this scent forever , really . It was one of my Mom's favorite perfume , thus i have a very deep sentimental attachment with Calèche , and it will always be so .
This generous and feminine scent will always be synonym of a loving Mom to me.

I would name it "So Chic"!!
Extremely feminine smell.

Caleche is a lovely perfume for work, very smart and a little bit posh. For an intelligent woman who knows where she is going and never looks back, without regrets. Very French.

hm... the beggining really reminds me of Chanel N5...very strong aldehydes....then turns spicy on me...quite masculine scent, not unpleasant, will give it a try again....
doesn't last long at all :(

I used to be not a fan of vintage perfumes, but I start to discover the hidden gems such as Caleche. It is a wonderful, timeless fragrance, it's a bit green on me. I could wear it as a modern fragrance could do. I love it and I want it so much.

strange that some people think it is like chanel no 5, I hate that perfume, it makes me feel quite ill, yet i love Caleche and have worn it for years....?
as above it makes me feel elegant and confidant, and a little bit retro-

mmm, so good! I had a small vial of this which probably belonged to another era, because the tester I find nowadays it's not the same. Also the Soie de Parfum is very nice. This is what I would call a typical classy French perfume. It's very elegant, sharp and a little serious yet not unapproachable.
It exudes classyness and confidence.
It's a burst of cold flowers + aldehydes that it becomes woody in a completely different way than modern scents. The wood in Caleche could smell a little musty on some chemistries but never that crap plastic wood drydown I smell around now.
On my skin it never worked wonders as my chemistry doesn't agree with aldehydes, but when my mom used this many years ago it worked wonders on her!
Good sillage and awesome lasting power! Still talking about old formulation.

@Dina, The chemical composition has definitely changed. I have heard (from someone who knew Guy Robert) that Hermes changed the original formula in order to use cheaper ingredients. Guy Robert no longer cares for the scent, though he loved his original. I think it is still nice, and it is still my favorite, but it is sad to think how it has changed. Maybe we should deluge Hermes with a "Bring back the original Caleche" letter-writing campaign.

I tested the Soie de parfum today, and it smelled exactly like Chanel #5, it has nothing to do with the Caleche I used to wear around 20 years ago .... Where did the old good Caleche go ? I guess it's reformulation.

I adore this scent and have worn it for over 20 years. I do not like to be too aggressive with scents and have discovered a way to create a light, "floating in the air" way to wear this. After I wash and dry my hair, I spray a little at the base of my neck and massage it up into my scalp. It mellows beautifully and I get so many compliments. I don't reapply until I wash my hair again. I have the full line of products but only just recently purchased the Soie de Parfum for the fist time. I found it to be a deep yellow color, and also it has a much heavier sensibility, so much so that it seems to be an entirely different product. Still not sure I like it as much as the edt...

I do agree that Caleche is elegant and lovely, chic and sophisticated. I love the soft leather note that I smelled, subtle and nice. On me however it smells musty,like a chest of old clothes found in your grandmothers attic. I know the culprit, it is the aldehydes. They have never worked with my body chemistry. The drydown is lovely soft and powdery, like Rouge. If you can wear this perfume great! I do admire it and on others it smells divine. On me it smells like mothballs. Yes it is very much like Chanel no.5. I think though that I will stick to Hiris and Rouge. Rouge smells old world and classy but there are no mothballs. Well that is OK. There are plenty of lovely leathers out there for me to try.

Caleche is a complex fragrance. It opens with bold, bright citrus and aldehydes, yet mellows to a smooth, almost-powdery, yet pristine finish. As several previous comments have stated, it IS elegant, but not overbearing. It IS mature and noble, yet not "frumpy". It DOES radiate a certain confidence and sophistication found in "uptown" women who live the fine life, including wearing the Hermes scarf I read about earlier here, or drink the "velvety dry Italian wine" also mentioned. This fragrance is definitely NOT for girls, but for self-assured women who have no problem making a statement about themselves wherever they go. That statement speaks class, "breeding", education, leadership, experience and travel, and style. This woman is her OWN woman, and she never apologizes for it...maybe that's the slight touch of sharpness and "distance" found in Caleche. This is not an everyday fragrance for an everyday woman, but one who either IS set apart, or doesn't mind setting herself apart from the crowd. She's a leader...whether a queen or princess in a castle; board member of the Museum of Modern Art living in a mansion; or, a Liz Claiborne-wearing, carpooling mom who's president of the local PTA chasing kids and labradors; this woman is distinct and decisive. She stands apart, and is not afraid to do so. How else can I describe Caleche? Complex, yet balanced. Sharp, semi-dry, yet smooth. It definitely speaks up for itself, yet it doesn't "yell". It's womanly, yet not "sugary", edible or super-floral. It makes a statement, and is not for the timid, although it is not "loud". To the contrary, its statement is very clear, direct, and concise. It says: "I am classy, intelligent, sophisticated and well-educated. I know what I want and what I like, and I don't play games. My word is my bond. I enjoy the finer things in life, and I've worked to get them. I am a woman who loves being who she is." This is a permanent member of my fragrance family.

Sorry, sorry, this is not for me at all. To dry, to saopy, to....non-sensual. It's a complex scent, qualty, no doubt, but it does not speak to me at all.

Why can't I like this? I love aldehydes, I love soapiness but this smells miserable. It reminds me of some kind of embalming fluid - it is serious and joyless. Luca Turin described it as a 'wan' aldehydic and I'm afraid that I completely agree.

I agree with Sherapop: Calèche is worth having at any price.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM? i wonder if Hermes Caleche stole the ingrediants from Chanel no 5. because they smell the same
so there's not alot to describe.
it has the same Aldehydiac note and it's elegant and chic this perfume is perfect for wearing a cream shelf dress
going to a fashionable daytime garden
soiree. if chanel is a nighttime aldehyde Hermes Caleche is for day.

probably women who like very feminine chanel no. 5 types will like this. i always want to wear it becasue it is so nice but honestly it takes 10 hours and some running around before it has a nice effect on me. hermes makes the most wonderful classy perfumes. i wear belami always

My French grandmother loves this perfume, when I was buying it for Christmas in 2009 I got curious and sprayed a sample on my wrist. The scent was powerful but elegant. I am sure Chanel N5 is as lovely!
I don't think Caleche's scent is for old ladies but for women with fine taste.

In attempting to determine why KELLY CALECHE was not just called KELLY, since it has nothing whatsoever to do with CALECHE, I decided to avail myself of this opportunity to spritz some of the great classic on and to finally write my review of CALECHE, one of my favorite perfumes and the soapiest of the floral aldehydes in my collection.

What marks the distinction between CALECHE and her granddaughter, KELLY? It's not just that the notes are very different (which they are), or the structure (which it is). Nor is it the fact that CALECHE has a true development trajectory that KELLY altogether lacks. No, the most significant distinction between these two Hermes creations can be summed up in one single word: depth. This depth characterizes every layer of CALECHE, so even if CALECHE stopped after the opening or the middle stage or presented its drydown linearly, CALECHE would still be a worthy creation.

But CALECHE also has an untold complexity, inducing in the wearer a journey through the unfurling layers of a beautiful perfume. Although I like floral aldehydes in general, I am discovering that my favorites are those that push the limits of their genre, passing also through chypre-like phases.

CALECHE opens with a bright burst of citrus aldehyde that proceeds to illuminate a garden of flowers. The wearer is next led through a forest where the flowers have been interspersed among woody and moss elements but retain their distinct presence. At this stage, the sun continues to shine down through the large trees casting shadows to the side and leaving the flowers to shimmer in the light. As the sun begins to set, the flowers begin to recede into the darkness, and as the temperature drops, dew begins to coalesce on the leaves of the trees. This fresh pristine feeling persists as the perfume slowly, over the course of several hours, fades away.

Wearing CALECHE is to me the epitome of luxury. When this, my third bottle, is empty, I'll buy a fourth--at any price!

the most "bearable" scent for me out of all Hermes line , its well blended for classic floral / faint leather / Dry fans or lovers .
apparently i am not destined to accept Hermes in perfumery but i like & respect their leather work heritage.
Caleche for me lacks something , something that would boost an image of gracefully favourable rounded femininity to the scent . again there is no association what-so-ever with Great Chanel No5 .
Caleche possesses a sense of heatedness ( as of Sahara desert ! ) , sourness , unbelievable dryness & burning sensation to my nose, that is well combined with the aldehydes to form an undeniable annoying sensation to me.
i don't see any association that if u happen to be a true classic style perfumista or an old hopefully "much experienced" well trained nose of a woman , then u should most likely love / like or accept such scent like Caleche.
last but not least , For me , i couldn't care less if Grace Kelly or even the Queen Hatchebsuut of the Pharoahs had / would have ever worn it .

I would describe Hermes Caleche as the scent of Ma Griffe perfume and a vintage Coty Airspun face powder, tossed about in a new calfskin handbag.

Complicated, layered, powdery, floral leather.

If the above sounds like something you would enjoy smelling, you'll like this one. I sure do!

my Mom used to wear it, it is a classic, wil always be a bit mystical for me, as most scents wandering through one's childhood..I havent smelled it in a long time, on my Mom is was very chic, elegant, present ..she was sophisticated so for her it worked! I doubt it would on me..but Caleche is the perfect example of a stylish fragrance..

I love floral aldehydes and this perfume smells divine, but not on my skin.On my skin smells powdery and soft and thats only the first ten minutes after applying, then downhill,from there on just a stale type of smell.I gave the perfume away to my mother, on her just divine.

I just got this for my birthday and the smell is so delicate, classy and imposes self confidence.
When people smelled it from the bottle, they thought it would be way too much for my age and it smelled awful on my mum's skin - but when I wore it my boyfriend said it smells amazing on me and couldn't stop sniffing me.
So, in order to wear Caleche, you need to have attitude, self confidence and just a bit of sensuality.
I think it's perfect for autumn.

I tried soie de parfum, and totally agree with most of the comments here..it is a classic scent. strong and very lasting one, i may add. it takes a lot of confidence to wear this one.

and it evolves! starts fresh neroli-orange blossomey, then some accords i cant describe yet, and then the lovely lovely dry, smooth, beautiful, slightly powedery drydown.

i love the fact that i always catch a glimpse of this one when i move my wrist (i spray a little to test on my wrist).

So classy! Sharp and delicate at the same time, very elegant fragrance for modern princess. Fits perfectly with the trench coat and Hermes scarf, not so for casual style. Somewhat cold and distant, even though I love warm fragrances, but also like intangibility of this magical fragrance. Glamorous, slightly arrogant, has a style. Aldehydes clearly felt from the top note, even hours, still feels purity, which radiates. Caleche is the most beautiful in late autumn and early spring.
For me this is really a top among the perfumes and I plan to come back to it.

I agree with the words of Chat Lunatique-there is a HUGE difference between soie de parfum and EDT. First I tried edt and fell in love with it. But being greedy, I ordered soie de parfum without prior testing, and I bit off more than I could chew :( Classy, refined, noble, but unfortunately not a fragrance I could wear.
It was given away and now I am a happy owner of Caleche edt.

Memories from my childhood. I grew up with my mother having this as one of her favourites. As a small child I would sit in her bedroom and look at the forbidden closet where she kept her beautiful perfumes. When she wasn't looking, I'd open the lids and smell them :-) I always particularly loved Caleche.

I agree with Malegria. On my cousin, Caleche smells so classy. On me, I smell like an old wrinkled woman. Caleche and I dont get along well :(

Even though I am 22 I love this perfume! It smells old-fashioned but very classy. I find it has a positive vibe - probably from all the citrus. The floral notes make it even more attractive. Unfortunately I bought the EDT, and this is not as strong as the Soie de Parfum. But then again, Caleche is a very strong perfume, so I think the EDT is adequate for everyday use.

I wanted to like Caleche. I find leather notes fascinating (I continue to be entranced by the leathery drydown of my beloved Chanel No. 19) and I kept hearing that Caleche had a hidden base of leather within its aromatic woody resins.

On me, it doesn't have any leather. On me, it is horribly dull, as if I had intended to wear perfume but instead sprayed on the essence of glue and sawdust. I get no neroli or citrus whatever, and it's barely aldehydic on me at all. (I have to admit here that I actually like aldehydes to a moderate degree, although I don't go looking for them.) Someone here has described it as "elegant and richly dry," but on my skin, it's dry as dust and about as fragrant.

I get the sense that if it worked on me, Caleche would be terrific. The potentiality is there. However, it's so thin and sour that on me I cannot imagine wearing it.

This must be a classic, but to me it does not appeal very much. It is elegant in a obvious, average way, typical for past decades when ladies smelled of aldehydes, cleanliness and soap. It has shown an interesting note though in heart - the incense (unusual type of incense found in our Catholic church), but this has disappeared in the drydown. Now there is only a mediocre scent, but maybe it's just my skin that many perfumes finish it off in the same way on it. I agree there is a slight leather note also.

This is a very mature scent, to be liked by those who enjoy the character of Chanel 5 but find it too accessible....

Ugh. I got a sample of this with high expectations. It smells like an old lady. I see some recent reviewers say the same. I could not bear it. It really reminded me of my grandmother's rest home.

How funny it is sometimes. I am still trying to make friends at least with ONE Hermes scent and I simply can`t. Caleche is very stinky on me, smells like an old hunting bag of mine where at all times of it`s life I carried various perfumes, which gave it a specific scent. On my friend - absolutely marvelous!!!Smells woody, smokey and the neroli is very distinct. It has a certain sourness but does not overwhelm with it.And the leathery note is like very thin, very soft leather glove, light brown.
Too bad it does not want to do anything with me.

"... with all my respect to Hermes and to those, who like this perfume, I have to admit that for me it smells "an old lady's bag"..."
I feel Caleche like old-fashioned, stood many years in hidden. I don't like it... :(

my mom told me that my grandmother used to wear this fragrance..and she was shocked as i told her that it is still available out there.. and now, she just keep saying that she want it.. i guess i have to order it through the internet because i don't think they got it here.. =(

With Caleche, the words 'classy' and 'elegant' come up time and time again. How very true. To my mind, this is the Grace Kelly of perfumes: beautiful and refined. Would like to smell the difference between the EDT and EDP.

I'd rate this a 3.5 out of 5. Caleche EDP is very elegant and feminine. A true woody chypre. It is a classic sort of fragrance with a slight edgy dryness. My first impression of Caleche on my skin, was that it reminded me of wine. Caleche is a full-bodied & velvety dry Italian wine, with juicy tannins. Caleche EDP I save for special occasions when I want to feel classy & sophisicated. It's not a scent I would want to wear everyday nor, is it a scent that is 'me', but it is a masterpiece in it's own right.

In my head, this sits next to Cristalle, but is even more elegant and richly dry.

elgab89 thanks for your comments. i have not smelled it yet, but i am a hermes fan and i have alwys wondered how this fragrance smells. it must be beutiful, and after ylour comment i will add it on my wish and 'to smell' list. :)

Last perfume bought by my uncle for my Nana ( aunt). The last fragrance she ever wore. It reminds me of this classy, elegant woman and I will always have a bottle in my cabinet.