Caleche Soie de Parfum

I lucked into this into a bottle of this beauty on the FREE table of a scent swap, didn’t even need to swap for it. I can’t imagine how it ended up there. The scent swap was at San Francisco’s Ministry of Scent. I knew the name Caleche and had a vague feeling that it was a well regarded vintage. I sprayed some on paper and in the heavily scented atmosphere could detect only a strong aldehydic opening but with a fascinating green twist. Good enough for me! I’m unsure of the age of my bottle, a 100mL frosted glass tester. Without suggesting that Caleche is conflicted or incoherent, I think its fascination lies in its contrasts. It takes the contrasts inherent in the chypre form and marries them to the feel of an aldehydic floral. On top of this genre bending, the addition of cypress and strong, puckery citrus to the opening accord adds a slightly masculine twist, perfectly on brand for Hermès with its equestrian heritage and concomitant refined, sporty androgyny. The floral heart is lovely and tender after the thunderous, bracing opening. I detect mostly stiff iris and unlisted, shadowy ylang ylang. Despite the listed notes here, I find the rose pretty subtle, and imagine the differences between this 90s reformulation and the original are overstated in the branding. Indeed, Caleche Soie de Parfum is still strongly reminiscent of midcentury perfumes in general and the austere sandalwood-backed woody chypres of the early 60s in particular. Where I do sense a more modern (although in 2025 now bringing its own nostalgic appeal) is the approach to sandalwood. While I haven’t smelled an older version of Caleche, the sandalwood accords of its moment tended to be dry and imposing. While the sandalwood here at times presents such a face, it ultimately melts into the a buttery softness much more in keeping with the 90s. Still, the glaring white character of the opening never really fades, carrying through with the iris, sandalwood, and—yes—touch of chilly frankincense (that prefigured Andy Tauer’s glacial Incense Extreme). Even the mosses here seem to have been whitewashed. And yet the naturalistic cypress, the romantic florals, the supple sandalwood all await to embrace those who dare face down the gorgon that Caleche pretends to be—and is !

I am a big fan of Chanel No.5 and smell the resemblance between Caleche Soie de Parfum and that fragrance with the use of shared notes. But with the extreme use of aldehydes in this fragrance, it is more in line with Chanel No. 22 and EL's White Linen, than No. 5. Yet somehow, I have an easier time dealing with it here than I do with those fragrances. One thing they all share in common though, is that they all smell like they are from the era of great French perfumery yet are still very wearable today. My preference is for the original Caleche, in particular the parfum version, mainly because it's much lighter on the aldehydes and in that way is more similar to Chanel No. 5, though it has a personality of its own. Still, there is no denying this is a beauty. If you love perfumes like No. 22 or White Linen, then you might like this too. Edit - In the winter this wears very musky, but in warmer weather a creamy citron stays throughout the duration of the fragrance, and it is just beautiful with the floral notes. It really elevates this scent. I think I will use this primarily in the warm weather because I love that element.

Calèche Soie de Parfum is a radiant aldehydic floral. I haven't had a chance to try the original Calèche - this modern flanker is all that's on offer at my local Hermès boutique. Elegant and refined, it is subtly glamorous and high-quality. CSP opens with bright aldehydes, the olfactory equivalent to evening sunlight. Tart, fresh citrus notes add to the brightness, more golden that blindingly white. The florals creep in as it develops, and it becomes more soapy. I get lily-of-the-valley and some fruity neroli. As it develops, the rose becomes prominent, dewy and crisp but becoming more powdery as it develops, enhanced by soft iris. The drydown is softly woody and slightly mossy, but it remains soapy and bright with prominent rose. It fades to a powdery, slightly soapy skin scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate. Feminine-leaning in my opinion, it is classic elegance in a bottle, but slightly undone, like an elegant, wealthy woman on holiday. Aptly named, it is as smooth, airy and lightweight as silk. Smells like old money. 4.5/5.

What a beautiful masterpiece, a perfectly balanced chypre! Why I didn’t come across Calèche earlier? I would probably fall short at describing it, but for me ticks all the boxes. Fizzy and bubbly aldehydes in the opening, a bit powdery and tender heart and a beautiful oakmoss and sandalwood dominates passing the 4 hour mark. It’s sharp but not as much as Rive Gauche, evolves into a warm and powdery iris intertwined with oakmoss, creamy sandalwood and it’s demurely sexy. It’s such a balanced creation, all the notes evolve in perfect harmony, they seem to compliment one another in a very natural and precise way. I’m loving this fragrance to the point of wearing it almost everyday without growing bored of it, it’s a very elegant, classy scent that suits any occasion. Aldehydes are not crowd pleasers, some might say it’s a vintage, dated fragrance but Calèche it’s quite modern and versatile, the full concept of the composition is quite upbeat and energising whilst retaining its feminine heart.

Now this is the fizzy-soapy-floral perfume I've been looking for! If you like the aldehydes in Chanel No. 5, this is going to blow your socks off. A sparkling aldehyde melody takes center stage in Calèche Soie de Parfum and harmonizes beautifully with the iris-rose-citrus-moss accord that would by itself be too screechy and cloying. The aldehydes here soften, refract, and magnify the core structure, and the end product smells like something from a more luxurious bygone era. Think skin washed with fine French-milled soap, then powdered and spritzed with a heady floral perfume, then left to sweat under the late afternoon sun for a few hours. Perhaps not the most graceful description, but the closest I can come to the presence and elegance of Calèche. This makes me dream of strolling under sun-baked colonnades next to a mossy, languid pool. I am ageless, neither young nor old, and an endless summer stretches before me.

I love Caleche since always, even if I'm not a regular wearer, BUT... EdT was made thinner and what about the opulent Soie de Parfum? I'm not sure. Something smells weird here. It's still a longlasting powerful floral plus aldeide, still ladylike, but it's somehow heavier and less airy than before. On my skin after 1 hour it develops a slightly annoying and banging grapefruit note. I never noticed that in past years. I thought that being an inconsistent wearer maybe I didn't notice every single nuance. It can be, but I also find this note identical to the annoying "grapefruit" edge in Jour d'Hermes which is taken to an extreme in the Absolu. I despise that note and I hope it's not the new chemical for bergamot note. It's not as volatile as bergamot rather a hammering note that never fades. Here in Soie de Caleche is blended nicely more or less, but in many perfumes it gives me the acrid armpit edge.

This is amazing... so classy, crisp, romantic... I mean I'm in love. It might seem vintage to people who are not used to the "classics" of perfumery or more into gourmands (nothing negative about that). It's as if Chanel N5 had a cousin that was just as pretty as her. Not the same at all... but it's in that general area of perfumery. This is the very much grown up and classy citrus oriented scent. The opening is beautiful aldehydes, citrus notes, citrus skin, rose, the the heart of the perfume goes to rose, a velvety iris and rose... a beautiful smokiness some of the base notes surrounds orange blossom. After a few hours the dry down is really nice, sweet airy florals and resins. This is one of those perfumes that is good all year round, day and night (if that matters to you ^^). This is now part of my all time favourites... It's on my birthday wish list for sure ^^

Beautiful. This is so conceptual and alludes to the ideal of extreme refinement, poise and the epitome of everything elite. It's too beautiful and invokes strong emotional responses. The opening is a dominant powdery iris, rose and ylang ylang with a piercing blast of aldehydes, creating the impression of the sun on a winter morning. This fragrance creates a force field of power, distance, and protection around you, it insulates you from external influences because it is such a powerful and self-assured expression. 10/10. It's completely ageless and timeless but unmistakably feminine, an assertive matriarchal and stoic figure. I love the contrast between the delicate soapy petals and the earthy, mature accords of oakmoss and vetiver.

Masterpiece!! This is Chanel Les exclusifs NO22 and YSL Rives Gauche in one - pure classy perfection in a bottle. Although Chanel 22 has a beautiful warmer/darker ambery aldehydic veil all over , whereas Caleche SDP remarkably keeps distinguished citruses and aldehydes going gradually melting into a french clean soap scent. I love these both scents and both are FB worthy, where C22 is a “DO” on the piano key-board and Caleche SDP is “LA”:-) Caleche SDP Is a velvety sparkling scent. sadly I am not aware of the distinguished nose behind this adorable creation, but by the associations it brings - imagine someone wearing Bigarafe Concentree by Jean Claude Ellena/Frederic Male diving from the top of the cliff into the Magnum Brute :-)

Caleche Soie is soapy, clean, mossy and floral in the most beautiful way possible. This fragrance is definitely a true chypre floral, full of aldehyde sparkle and the rich depth of oakmoss. The iris and rose take centre stage and sing in graceful harmony - all day long. One of the finest compositions I have come across - rich, delicate and complex. This lady is all class. If I had to only have one perfume - this is it. (The newer formulation is much less heavy in oakmoss than the original. This makes a difference in the opening, with the original being much heavier. The dry down is very similar between versions and longevity is superb for both).

This is a gorgeous fragrance, but it’s not ‘modern’ by any means - it is still dominated by aldehydes. It is very much in the vein of the original Caleche EDT, but also Chanel No 5, Givenchy Ysatis and other aldehyde bombs. If you love any of these scents, then this is a no brainer; however, if you’re not so keen on aldehydes, I don’t think that this version of Caleche would serve as a good entrance point, because it is oh-so-very-retro. Aside from aldehydes, it also contains lemons, mosses and roses. It is quite strong and lasts forever.

This review is for the reformulated Caleche. It is bright, intense juice. Im not surprised to be hit with aldehydes first. Next I am very aware of soapiness, oakmoss, citrus and then a little rose. Not surprisingly it takes a while for the rose and wood notes to really appear as the soapiness is quite strong. A very classic fragrance thats perfect for formal wear. Tbh I find it a touch too much for me on the aldehydes but I will definitely use it for layering because the sillage and longevity are very good.

This is amazing. I simply love the smell. After a while it does get this sort of "clean sweat" smell, only not. I think it's the aldehydes. It starts off like a real classic fragrance, showing its age a bit, but this has class and elegance written all over it. The scent trail is stunning and the longevity? Crazy. 12+ hours since I sprayed it on my hand and several hand washes and a shower later, I can still smell it CLEARLY on my skin. And to those who are wondering: This is a bottle bought in 2021.

Effervescent aldehydes and wood/green/citrus notes surrounding a classic red damask rose, all combining to become "liquid sunshine" as accurately described by a number of other reviewers. To wear this, I have to be having a really confident day, but I think if I chose it on a gray day, maybe I would find my confidence soaring. I would describe this as the way citrine would smell if stones were scented.

It's a classy nonchalance. Like a luxurious French soap. Quite vintage but in a good way. It smells clean, calm and relaxing. It will make you feel "high-class". This is the kind of scent that can cuddle you to sleep. If you like the classics like chanel no5, ysatis, dioressence,sisley eau du soir or similar chypre or aldehyde types of perfumes, then you will definitely learn to love it too.

I have been using Caleche for a number of years. I love aldehydes, but this one is the grand dame of them all for me, even Chanel No. 5. I have the soir de parfum edition and I get at least 10 plus hours of soapy, creamy yumminess. I think that it smells of the most luxurious French soap ever. Projection and sillage are beastly. A solid 10 for me.

Hermes Caleche (1961) - golden hue - #guyrobert ‘s masterpiece for Hermes is sparkling and aldehydic with Iris and Ylang and White floral for its heart. I also get that Citron note contrasted with the waxy start. Grounded by Oakmoss, Sandalwood and Vetiver. Makes me happy everytime I wear it.

Clean and soapy mossy aldeydic floral about sums it up. If you like this style of perfume, you'll love this one. Great representation of the genre. 8.5/10

If there was anything as a classy, mature elf, this is what she would smell like.

My Mom’s scent and that’s it ❤️, I smell it on her when I was 1 day old until now

Caleche Soie De Parfum has a very rich opening. There's oakmoss, cedar, lily-of-the-valley, the classic soapiness from a mixture of neroli and jasmine - it's quite a powerful combination! It doesn't feel like it's a perfume for summer but would certainly work better in cool to moderately warm temperatures. Day or night, it's going to be the same. You wait to see whether CSDP is going to head towards a chypre or a floral. There's an initially strong projection. Half an hour in you get your answer - it's a floral dominant perfume, soapy florals mostly. Whilst the base notes of oakmoss, cedar and sandalwood are all there, the neroli-jasmine soapiness leads, accompanied by aldehydes, a hint of bergamot, some lily-of-the-valley and some iris. No rose to this nose though! CSDP feels old fashioned in a Chanel No.5 sort of way. I emphasise that's the feeling, the impression, rather than a strict olfactory comparison. You might think of the Hermes as a cousin to the Chanel, if that makes sense. 90 minutes in and the perfume has toned down. The projection settles to something more moderate. It's noticeable but it isn't loud or pushy. You're still smelling a soapy floral with the cedar-sandalwood-oakmoss base in the background but the aldehydes have become more subdued. It stays like this for a few hours. If you go for a moderate walk or do something to raise your body temperature during this phase, the cedar and sandalwood get quite a boost and become more prominent in the olfactory mix. After four and a half to five hours it starts to fade away and you just get the base notes and the soap. The oakmoss fades next and then it really depends on how much you've applied as to how long the fading process lasts. It disappears in a delightfully subtle way. You're wearing a perfume that is fading away gently and then somewhere along the line you're aware that you have clean smelling skin that hints that something was there but isn't any longer. I'd say by the time you get to six hours you've probably hit that point. I think this is well crafted. I think it was a good attempt at a sympathetic modernisation of Hermes's Caleche. It's a narrow like for me. I find the aldehyde + soapiness just a little too overbearing for my own taste. I'd have liked the rose to come through and I suspect I would have liked it quite a bit more if it had. I'm sad to say that I find the smell of CSDP better from the top of the bottle or in a small decanter than I do when it's sprayed and applied. It smells lovely in the bottle. I think if you like Chanel No.5 or if you like floral aldehydes then this is clearly something you should try and I'm pretty confident that if you like that type of perfume you'll enjoy this.

I have been amazed by aldehydes over and over again. This one proved to me again not to make assumptions too quickly. For now, I will pause on 3 things that make this great: 1. The woods. This aspect of this fragrance is just to die for. I hope, and yet don't hope, to ever understand how the wood feeling is so abstract and yet so present. I can't say what wood and I don't care to know. It is solidly present throughout the wear and it creates this atmosphere, almost like a room around you as the wearer. 2. The amazing citron. I am starting to notice a pattern of my liking citron as a starting texture. Masterfully blended, it adds a bit of roughness. Somehow it makes me think of a notebook that has a leather cover. It's soft... and yet it gives the book a rough and earthy feeling that a paper cover just doesn't have. 3. The aldehydes. This is the part that keeps me coming back to this floral/aldehyde genre of perfume. It's so different and yet so familiar to No. 5. The difference for me is that the balance is such that the florals become vague. Don't think it is a blended-boring-heavy mass as you would find in many hyped designer fragrances. This is a vagueness as watercolours blend and create texture, the seamless transition and overlapping effect. In many niche fragrances I wear, I look for bold/interesting/amazing originality. It puzzles me that the theme with Caleche Soie de Parfum reads: vague, and balanced. While both these terms sound boring, this fragrance is complex and exciting to wear. I relish and look forward to each time I come back to this bottle. There is something about it that makes me re-evaluate what fragrances mean to me and how such complexity can be presented in such a sincere and simple manner. I honestly would trade one of those "out there" fragrances for this. It is just such a satisfying wear.

I blind bought this at a very good price on eBay. I like this scent but it's not what I am ultimately looking for in a perfume. Performance wise, I don't believe it projects very much and I'd say it lasts maybe 4-5 hours. As others have said, this is soapy and powdery. The aldehydes combined with the citrus notes reminds me of Dove soap - it's soapy but a little bit tart. I would prefer if it smelled more creamy. It gives off a mature, elegant vibe. I am interested in trying the original caleche, so if anyone would like to trade...! I have a 50ml bottle that's approximately 80% full.

Effervescent champagne aldehydes open this beautiful perfume and tickle my senses endlessly (or 5-6 hours). This perfume is so silky and bubbly. It's a treat to the senses. No, it does not smell modern. You have to enjoy aldehydes and, I do! Spring/Summer is my Chanel No 5 and Caleche season. The bright yellow bubbles lighten, tickle and brighten my mood. I love them.

An aldehyde bomb with some florals. It dries down to a pretty vintage style of fragrance. This is completely unisex.

Marie Antoinette ( Kirsten Dunst ) in Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola 2006

A blast of sudsy aldehydes. Oddly, despite disliking Chanel No. 5, I enjoyed testing this one. It’s still completely soapy, but has more depth, a floral richness beneath the chemical aldehydes that make it extra realistic. Carnation and lily of the valley are distinct enough that I can feel the slippery tallow on my tongue. I can’t imagine wanting to wear something so powerfully soapy, but it’s the prettiest soap I’ve ever smelled. Retro, clean, classy, reserved.

I tried this in duty free going home to London from Scotland. I loved it! Can’t keep myself from smelling it over and over but didn’t bought it as they only have the 100ml and find it impractical knowing I have lots of fragrances already. Bought one eventually and sadly it’s really overwhelming for me I’d feel dizzy having it on. Kept giving chances to this but I am giving up on it or maybe I should’ve purchased the EDT instead. Willing to trade with Voce Viva Intense or Scandal. Anyone?

Well I have a 100 ml bottle of the stuff, blind buy based on reviews, what do I regret it, I'll pass it on to one of my cousins, they think because it is hermes it has to be good and will love me for the present. I don't like it at all, somebody made a reference to French luxury, well I live in 3 Western European country's of which one is France (where I am at the moment) I don't smell that stinker here, I even would not dare to wear it....this hermes is simply overrated IMHO...

would Calèche be still relevant today ? this is not a question you can simply answer with 'yes' or 'no'. in Elena Vosnaki's brilliant article https://www.fragrantica.com/news/Is-Chanel-No-5-Obsolete-15018.html she asks the same question about Chanel No5. she summed up many arguments or topics related to this question and because Calèche and No5 are comparable, many of what has been spoken of in her article also goes for Calèche. if we compare these ladies with the perfumes launched 'today' they would surely feel ... strange. especially with the Gourmand & Dupes Waves going perpetuously forth. what also became obvious to me after reading Elena's article was that these perfumes may have had their time. they were created with a certain 'Target Group' in mind. the Chanel & Hermès ultrachique 'Ladies who Lunch'. that this was a winged phrase in the 1980s was clear. Nan Kempner, Lynn Wyatt, Diane von Furstenberg, Georgette Mosbacher, Mrs Kissinger, Nancy Reagan, Ivanka Trump, Mrs Gorbatchov. but now we have the Influencers and their Realms of 'Knownness'. if I read reviews for No5 and Calèche, they are often still positive but there is always a little 'Pointe' of Tease in it. as if there is spoken about Old Ladies. and these do not harm anyone, don't they ? sisters of Calèche and No5 are JOY, madame Rochas, Miss Dior, Ivoire de Balmain, Y de Yves Saint Laurent (for women), perhaps Estée's White Linen, Eternity and possible others. they are hugely different but again more comparable to each other than for instance with the 1980s Hooker Perfumes, the Montales, the heady & ultraheady Creed Floral perfumes. they all possess some austerity. I have first smelled No5 and Calèche in 1974, when they were still loaded with civet. but in essence they are Ladylike Chypre perfumes with either Aldehydes, Oakmoss, Civet (or Civetone), a Bouquet of Flowers with Roses, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang & Iris in prominent roles. Elena also had a good point in accentuating the Demographics: the disappearance of those Ultra Glamorous Ladies in the 1980s (and 1950s and 1920s). the specific market of Asia where such as austere as luminous as demure perfumes are rather loved. while we are heading into Rocket Starts, Nationwide Sillages, weeklong Endurance also on Clothes, Pets, Cabinets, Friends & Foes. thinking about this question if No5 and Calèche are still relevant today we would and could gently bring the News that they have had their time but that they perhaps stay on the stage as Statues of History and Beacons of the Creativity of Humanity. the German philosopher Adorno said in his book Ästhetische Theorie (1970) that 'All Big Art Works are Waiting'. waiting to behold their presence, meaning, place, irreplaceable validity. and perhaps such is the case also with these Sister Perfumes. 2022 this is a fantastic perfume with great chic and austerity. I added 'Knowing' to the perfumes with a similar vibe. and in 'who likes this shall also like' there she also is, Knowing. of course there is a whole school with these super elegant and womanly perfumes. Chanel no. 5, Joy, Chanel no.19 and -poudré, Dusitas le Sillage Blanc with, Robert Piguets Bandit and the old Grès's Cabochard, plus the older Creed's lady perfumes Fleur de Bulgarie, Irisia, Vanisia and Jasmal. further the hyperexpensive smelling Sisley perfumes, Eau du Soir, Soir de Lune, l'Eau de Campagne. of la Prairie I still could buy (20 years ago) a sumptuous crème pour le corps (250 guilders so, now euros) with their first perfume. the perfumes are aldehydic, hesperidic, flowery, with lots of moss, vetiver, sandelwood. I just love that hard austerity of especially Calèche, Knowing and Eau du Soir. I love complicated perfumes. this is the one that makes you happy. Iris, Jasmine,and above all, Roses. it is a pleasure to be a parfumista !

HERMèS CALèCHE soie de parfum with help from other reviewers of the edt and the sdp, I could more accurately sketch an image of this edp. what I now better recognized for the first half hour were the dynamic interactions between the aldehydes, the austerity of the iris and the predominance of woody character as cedar, vetiver and sandelwood, which of course return in the drydown. only half an hour in and then unmistakenbly, one can smell the strong flowers like rose, jasmine, mimosa, lily of the valley and the hesperidic flowers and fruits, although the bergamot and citron of course play their role in the initial chilling, almost metallic struggle all, notwithstanding contributing to the allure of this chic perfume. now after half an hour, three quarters of an hour it is a delicious amalgam of strong flowers: the classic duo jasmine and rose, a strong velvety ylang-ylang and gardenia in the edt and in the soie de parfum the doubling of roses and an earthiness of lilium of a derivative of lily of the valley. all technospeak but this is, with the austerity of the opening, what makes calèche to an absolute masterpiece plus unforgettable classic, morphing along with her sisters Chanels No.5, Patous Joy, (in my opinion) Balmains Ivoire, Rochas's Madame Rochas and (again imo) Estee Lauders Knowing. the oakmoss of course lends Calèche its hauteté, also a bittersweet, more bitterfizz, sidenote facilitative of a rich and fabulous perfume. [Sisley Eau du Soir and Soir de Lune.] that it isn't anymore on the Hermès' site in favor of such populist and more directed to younger clientèle and Asian hipsters 'Kelly Calèche' is a selfinflicted crime. of course this is also whyere the splendidly written article 'is Chanels No.5 obsolete ?' derives its urgency from. neither the 'eau d'Hermès' is to be found amidst the thousand flankers of Merveilles (did never something for my taste) and Terres (as a homosexual male I only appreciate ultrafeminine parfums, thank you). as Miss Dior, which (I wrote "who", enough witness to the personalities of these ladies) also had to make room for amongst them,ridiculous flankers. luckily you can stock up on these classiques at internest stockist but also in Holland still, on sites of common perfumeries and Warehouses.... I did so the day before yesterday. love

Woody Aldehyde Soie de Parfum is all about the woods, the soap, and the roses. The aldehyde top notes have the feeling of the smoothest, softest, whitest bar of soap. Triple milled "French" soap that was pressed into a soft oval shape, no hard corners. The soap is scented with sandalwood and sweet vetiver, the vetiver used here is so sweet that is almost smells edible. The rose that sits underneath the soapy/woody topnotes is a perfectly pink, round rose, the most prominent floral, it lives in a beautiful bed of oakmoss and sandalwood. As it dries down, the rose eventually dims a little, and a hint of rooty iris emerges, while the base is woody and strong, as it has been all along, plenty of vetiver, cedar, sandalwood, and oakmoss. Obviously I love this, since I love woody/oakmoss perfumes. I actually think this improves on the original Caleche, with the focus of the rose, it really makes the perfume more complex overall. The base is wonderful, with verboten sandalwood, real cedar, and oakmoss (instead of woody scented iso e super dryer sheet.) I am not sure that a perfume like this would be made today, it is too risque and not 'feminine' enough, with all the woody notes. Silage is pleasant, staying power is about 6 hours. I am basing this review off an older mini, I am not sure what the reformulation smells like.

Wow, this is fascinating. It's vintage, and it's a reinterpretation of the 1961 launch. If you’re drawn to contemporary fragrance trends, this isn’t for you. Here, the balance is perfect. It moves across four universes: earthy/mossy/woody; floral; aldehydic; and finally with a fresh citrus lift. It’s a complex composition, but done so well that it’s hard to find anything to criticize. Would I buy it? No, it doesn’t align with my personal style. but that’s not really the point. I don’t explore fragrances only to find something I’d wear daily, it's more about discovery and experience. And this one raises an interesting question: how can something feel so grounded in the past and still reach for something airy and elevated? The opening wasn’t the most pleasant, but I trusted it would evolve - and it did. As it settled, it became smoother and warming. I sampled it at the end of April in Madrid, on a bright, warm day. While I appreciated it, it felt out of context. I’d recommend this more for transitional seasons at least rather than warm or hot weather. I tend to enjoy fragrances with synthetic notes and aldehydes when they’re done well, and here, they are. Very nice, Hermes!

this is a fantastic perfume with great chic and austerity. I added 'Knowing' to the perfumes with a similar vibe. and in 'who likes this shall also like' there she also is, Knowing. of course there is a whole school with these super elegant and womanly perfumes. Chanel no. 5, Joy, Chanel no.19 and -poudré, Dusitas le Sillage Blanc with, Robert Piguets Bandit and the old Grès's Cabochard, plus the older Creed's lady perfumes Fleur de Bulgarie, Irisia, Vanisia and Jasmal. further the hyperexpensive smelling Sisley perfumes, Eau du Soir, Soir de Lune, l'Eau de Campagne. of la Prairie I still could buy (20 years ago) a sumptuous crème pour le corps (250 guilders so, now euros) with their first perfume. the perfumes are aldehydic, hesperidic, flowery, with lots of moss, vetiver, sandelwood. I just love that hard austerity of especially Calèche, Knowing and Eau du Soir. I love complicated perfumes. this is the one that makes you happy. Iris, Jasmine,and above all, Roses. it is a pleasure to be a parfumista !

Caleche Soie de parfum had nothing to do with the old Caleche Eau de Parfum as I remember it. I remember my mum having a sample when I was little , it was a small yellow box with a carriage printed on it. I was mesmerized by it although I was little and Caleche was too mature for me. Back then it was an intensive potion of aldehydes , oakmoss and sunny liquid as I call the neroli. That smell is still in my head! Now that I own Soie de Parfum I can tell the difference . Hermes has toned down the oakmoss , it is still soapy and clean but without the mustiness of oakmoss or the heavy 'church feeling'. It is a lighter approach of an old classic , very well made and refined. I enjoy it having it on me during warm months , I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. A very sunny and bright take on Caleche. It has quite good duration surrounding you in an ethereal light veil.

I love aldehyde fragrances and especially those of the vintage kind. Caleche has always been a special love for me due to its classic ladylike way that defies time and trends and whispers elegance. Most luckily I own the original, the Mediteranee version and this gem. ( thank you, Boris!) Just this afternoon I pulled this classic Hermes bottle out of the dark cabinet, pulled off the golden domed cap and sprayed. Sheer heaven! Soft yet assertive, feminine but not cloying and simply beautiful! After so long I realize that this is my favorite of the three and the notes explain why! No ylang ylang, tonka or gardenia to overpower the gentle bouquet of old fashioned flowers joyfully splashed with radiant sunshine and warmed with caressing sandalwood and verdant moss.

This is an elegant chypre that has lost some of the old church smell that the user Majesty references. It starts with a burst of citrus rose. Later comes more floral--with the iris being the one I most strongly detect. It does open with some pretty powerful notes --a bit more powerful than I like. Within an hour or so, the fragrance morphed into a more subtle floral, balanced with a warm, woody richness. In comparison to the original Caleche, SDP has much better sillage on my skin. The tradeoff is a loss of some of the spicy, mossy notes that were present in the original. The drydown (2+ hrs.) for both, seemed pretty similar to me.

Let me preface by saying if you are not a fan of Chanel #5 then your not going to like this one. As far as creations go this one is beautiful. And the lasting power is tremendous. It's very feminine, well blended and well made. The simplicity of the bottle is perfect for the fragrance. I however have had a love hate relaltionship with No. 5. I can't wear it. This perfume is in no way modern so if your seeking something edgy and new this is not your gal. If vintage nostalgia is your thing you will love it. Try before you buy. I have a huge bottle up for swaps.

LOVE THIS! I'm glad it doesn't smell "modernized" to me. In fact, it just smells like a super potent EDP of Caleche. And WAHOO- that works. For me, I love a vintage-green mixed with Chanel No. 5 adlehydes... like Madame Rochas and Miss Dior vintage. And this fits! Along with great potency/sillage! I also got this for a song! I thought I jinxed myself by bragging about a vintage 2.5 oz for $30, it went missing in the mail. But then it came and it's perfect! LOVE THIS!

I was really fortunate to find a nearly full bottle of this. This is an extremely luxurious soapy floral fragrance with subtle woods and musks. It first goes on pretty vintage smelling, but it dries down nicely. I would say it's unisex, but when it first goes on it's more feminine. Maximum this is worth 110. I think brand new with box 150. I don't know what the current ones are like, but with fragrances like this i try to hunt down the vintage examples.

This is high class! A timeless masterpiece of a French perfume. If you want to feel sophisticated, add one or two spritzes of Caleche Soie de Parfum on your wrist- its sillage will follow you for a long time. First soapy aldehydes appear, the fragrance then mellows into a mossy rose combination, brightened with white flowers and refined iris in the backround. The drydown is slightly dark and sensual with sandalwood and cedar.

Caleche is smooth and intoxicating in the Soie de Parfum version, which is nothing like the effervescent edt . It has as much class as Chanel no.5 and as much character as Chanel no.19. The scent evokes for me someone who is confident but unassuming, intelligent but soft-spoken, elegant but not prudish. Performance is excellent. As the day progresses, rose and iris intensify, lasting well over 8 hours.

Wow, the perfume industry is really doing a number on 'EDP's' now. The old tester of the magical wonder that was Caleche, is now gone from the airport, replaced by this one. There's a faint, weak hint of the old Caleche, almost nothing in common, to be honest. Like Climat, White Linen, destroyed. Weaker than EDT's, there's more strength and depth in my £10 bottle of Chique!

Pure luxury. What a pleasure it is to wear this. Wear it with a potato sack and feel like a Duchess anyway. It's that old fashioned French fine soap fragrance with a modern very classy twist. The twist is in the aldehyde. It makes the whole rich and refined. This is a perfume you want to leave on your lovers pillow. He won't get you out of his mind.

I managed to find a tester in a Parfumerie...and so I tested it on skin and blotter.And...no...i don't like it! Smells very old fashion, dated, even my small daughter said..no...I don't like it ! I have Chanel n 5 EDP and it doesn't smells so dated like Caleche. I thought I will like it ! But no ...test before you buy!

So, so, so, classy and soapy. Very retro, melancholic, incredible old school perfume. Quite strong and not to abuse with him. Maybe it can go with men to but using it with discretion so to make it a skin scent. It is just so inspiring, this is a true heritage for the perfume history.

I have just been sold what I believe to be a sealed bottle of Caleche Soie de Parfum dd. from 1994 (looked up the code on the box). Has this perfume been reformulated (being sold now), or is it discontinued if anybody knows? The writing is in the centre of the box (not at the top).

This is one of my mum’s scents. It’s very soapy and powdery, it has that cosmetics scent to it. It feels enveloping and glamorous but in an elegant and refined way. It has great projection and longevity. Not something I would wear but I definitely appreciate it.

Born in the 90s and even more vintage than the original Soie de Parfum is a creamy round Rose into a french allure of aldheydes sandalwood "lime" and moss/musk. Like the original is good for a Grace Kelly with three children. An overdose of class in exhibition.

My grandmother gave me an unopened box of this perfume (50ML), and since I know this isn't my type of scent and opening it would thus be a waste, I want to sell it. It's still wrapped in plastic. Europe based. If anyone is interested, let me know.