If you're at all familiar with my men's fragrance reviews here at T3, you'll know I'm a big lover of citrus scents. Bursting forward with sprightly notes of orange, lemon, lime and more, these bottle are a cornerstone of suave scent.
Recently, I got my hands of a bottle of Oratorio from Czech fragrance house, Pigmentarium. The brand was started in 2018, and is a small, family-run business, which seeks to use sustainable methods and local produce.
With a catalogue that now spans no less than eight different scents, I was intrigued to see what all the fuss was about. The bottle and packaging certainly don't give too much away, either – it's clean and minimal, with a white box, clear bottle, simple labelling and a wooden top.
Such a distinct lack of flair leaves all of the wow factor to the fragrance itself. And from the first spritz of Oratorio, I was hooked.
Mandarin is the key note here. It bounds from the atomiser like a thing possessed, and really fills the room without much trying. It's paired with neroli at the top end for a real orange treat.
That offers some real longevity, too. Sure, the silage does start to tail off after about 20 minutes or so – it really develops into more of a skin scent, thereafter – but those fresh notes never disappear.
Instead, heart notes of cedar and jasmine enter the fray, to add a second layer to things. The combination is really interesting – other reviewers note anything from cola to fir trees here. My experience is definitely closer to the former than the latter, though there's still more citrus than anything else.
Opoponax and patchouli sit at the base of this one. They're not especially pokey in their own rights, but tie everything together with a little bit of spice and greenness.
Overall, it's a really well concocted scent. I'd love for the projection to have been a little stronger, but only because it smells so good. And hey, this way it's just my little secret.
