Ink Review: Montblanc James Purdey & Sons Single Malt Scented Ink

While Montblanc remains one of my favorite brands, they’ve annoyed me a bit as of late. Not because their special or limited releases have been “bad,” it’s just that there are so many of them that they cease to be “special.” And, yes, I’d say some of them have been lackluster, like the recent “Blue Palette” series of six different shades of blue. In their apparent effort to turn out a large volume of high-priced releases, I feel like they’ve fallen into a bit of a rut characterized by uninspired homages and repetitive color choices.

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Montblanc James Purdey & Sons is fairly dark, with good visibility for everyday writing. I’ve enjoyed using this ink at work and in my journal at home.

That said, if you take the time to sift through all of the various options, you’ll find some gems that I consider absolute must-haves. One such ink is the whisky-scented collaboration with James A. Purdey & Sons, the British gunmaker famous for their (extremely expensive) bespoke shotguns and rifles. While the pen itself is a gorgeous example of the craftsmanship Montblanc is capable of, it’s also pricey, and falls far outside what I would ever feel comfortable spending. The ink, however, presents an option for those who want to participate in this “Great Masters” release without shelling out thousands of dollars.

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Montblanc Purdey & Sons matches my Newton Orville in the Conway Stewart acrylic fairly well, right? Writing samples are done on Col-o-dex and Col-o-ring Oversize paper.

As a general matter, Montblanc makes excellent, low-maintenance inks that won’t damage your pens and work well on all but the cheapest recycled copy paper (and even there they hold up as well as can be expected). The Purdey & Sons ink is no exception, though I will say that it seems slightly wetter than most Montblanc inks, which I don’t mind. The “single-malt” scent is not overwhelming and disappears as the ink dries, so my notebooks haven’t ended up smelling like they’re soaked in booze. I guess you can call that work-friendly? Sort of? Maybe after lunch.

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Montblanc describes the ink as a light brown, though the color is not washed out. Like the Carlo Collodi ink from a few years back, it has a reddish-orange tint. It’s not just me: the label on the bottom of the bottle says “Encre Morron Orange”, which I assume is bad French for “brown orange.”

Takeaways and Where to Buy

A whisky-scented ink isn’t necessarily going to be an everyday user for me (unless I really want to get people talking during 7:30 a.m. meetings), but as a whisky/whiskey enthusiast, I wasn’t about to pass this one up. While I appreciate the craftsmanship in a finely made shotgun, and the pen absolutely nails the homage, the Purdey & Sons association wasn’t what drew me to this particular ink.

You can purchase the James Purdey & Sons ink from Montblanc boutiques or retailers. Since I don’t have a Montblanc boutique near me, I ordered this ink from site sponsor Appelboom, who still has it available on their website, along with the Purdey & Sons fountain pen. This ink comes in the larger 50ml bottle, so it’s not inexpensive at 41 Euros, but it is a scented ink (which ups the cost somewhat) and you can get a little bit of a discount using the coupon code “FRIEND” at checkout.

Disclaimer: I purchased the ink featured in this review with my own funds, though I received some store credit through my participation in Appelboom’s Affiliate Program. This post contains affiliate links.

Ink Review: J. Herbin 1798 Kyanite du Nepal

It’s that time of year again! Herbin has recently released their latest entry in the 1798 lineup, Kyanite du Nepal: a bright blue, not quite turquoise, with silver shimmer. Iroshizuku Kon-Peki and Robert Oster Blue Moon Shimmer might be comparable, though the Kyanite du Nepal runs slightly darker.

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Herbin’s description states that Kyanite is “one of the two minerals on the planet that neither accumulates nor retains negative energy” and “is believed to promote positive communication and encourage self-expression,” (if you’re into that whole healing-crystal thing). I will say that this is a very bright and happy color, and one that I’d actually consider using regularly. It also dries relatively quickly, and I didn’t experience any smearing after the ink had dried, something that had caused trouble with other Herbin shimmer inks, particularly the 1670 lineup.

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Side note: Did I mention how much I love these little glass Herbin sample bottles? They hold about 10ml of ink, and you can actually purchase their standard ink line in this size. Perfect for testing colors! I have a handful that I’ve picked up from Vanness over the last couple of years.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Though they may not make their way into my regular rotation, I’ve always had a soft spot for Herbin’s shimmer inks. Kyanite du Nepal, in my opinion, is one of the best-looking to come out in recent years, and I find inks with silver shimmer, as opposed to gold, easier to use on an everyday basis since the effect is more subtle. Navigating these inks can be somewhat confusing - the 1670 inks are the original shimmer inks released by Herbin, and have gold shimmer; the 1798 inks are a more recent addition and have the silver shimmer pictured here.

As with the other Herbin 1670 and 1798 inks, you should be able to purchase Kyanite du Nepal from most mainstream pen retailers, though if the ink gets popular I have no idea how much Herbin plans to ship and how regularly the distributors will be able to replenish stock. Pen Chalet and Vanness Pens both currently have this ink available for pre-order. Although there have been availability issues with Herbin inks in the past, the introduction of new lines of shimmer inks from Robert Oster, Diamine, and others will likely cut down on the ink hoarding, so if you want a bottle, I’d be surprised if you couldn’t get one at the time of release.

If the look of this ink interests you, check out my past reviews of other inks in the 1798 and 1670 series, including 1670 Emerald of Chivor, 1670 Caroube de Chypre, 1798 Amethyse de L’Oural, and 1798 Cornaline d’Egypte.

Disclaimer: Exaclair, Herbin’s U.S. distributor, sent me a sample of this ink free of charge, for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. This post contains affiliate links.

Ink Review: 3 Oysters Delicious Inks

The sheer volume of excellent fountain pen inks on the market continues to astound me. I know I talk about this all the time, but I still remember a time less than ten years ago when there were only two brands (Noodler’s and Private Reserve) that had color options in the double digits. Even as more brands emerged in recent years, most companies focused on bright, highly saturated colors. Those have their place, but when it comes to choosing ink, my interest lies in the darker, more muted, and somewhat murky corners of the color palette. Korean ink maker 3 Oysters checks all of those boxes.

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Since I’m a sucker for dark greens, and especially green-blacks, I picked up a bottle of Black Moss as I was leaving this year’s Baltimore Pen Show. A month later in Little Rock, during a visit to the Vanness store, I added samples of Gogung (a grayish brown), Red Wine (self-explanatory), and Chilli Red (a brighter red with hints of orange). The only color I did not care for was Mustard. The color is interesting, but it’s a bit light for everyday writing and doesn’t fit a need in my rotation.

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All of the 3 Oysters inks I tested dried quickly and exhibited zero bleeding, feathering, or even show-through. These really are great inks! I used 3 Oysters on a variety of papers across several work days, and never had an issue. If I could anticipate any criticisms that someone might have with the 3 Oysters inks, it would be that some might find certain inks a bit undersaturated (i.e., washed-out), especially colors such as Chili Red and Mustard.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’ve enjoyed my time so far with the 3 Oysters “Delicious” inks, and the bottle of Black Moss will certainly see some use. Behavior-wise, they remind me of Pilot Iroshizuku, being slightly less saturated and having similar flow. The price point is $18 for 30ml, which on a price-per-ml basis sits on the expensive side, but I don’t have any information on the scale of production - it’s actually difficult to find much information on the company behind the ink. I assume it’s a relatively small operation, with import and shipping costs driving the price of the ink up even further. That said, the price is not per se unreasonable, and sits well below Sailor’s new price point of 20ml for $15.

You can currently purchase all 3Oysters inks from our sponsor Vanness Pens, which carries the entire line, including not only the “Delicious” inks featured here, but also the “Hun Min Jeong” and “I.Color.U” series, and a special edition “Marine Green” ink.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. Vanness Pens is a sponsor of this site and provided me with the ink featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes.

Rediscovering an Old Favorite: Private Reserve Burgundy Mist

I haven’t used Private Reserve ink regularly in years. For those of you who were in this hobby a decade ago, you may recall a time when Noodler’s, Private Reserve, and maybe Levenger were the only options for bright, saturated fountain pen inks that came in dozens of colors. Sure, ink enthusiasts complained about slow dry times, smearing, clogging, feathering and other “high-maintenance” behaviors, but options weren’t plentiful if you wanted to write with an ink other than your basic black, red, or washed-out blue, and these inks were widely available at retail. (Private Reserve ink remains one of the few inks stocked in my local “pen store,” Nashville Trunk & Bag.) Two colors - Private Reserve Burgundy Mist and Sherwood Green, were among the first five bottles of ink I purchased after I discovered fountain pens.

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Classic packaging, classic Private Reserve jar/bottle. Though some might claim it lacks aesthetic appeal, Private Reserve makes one of the more practical ink bottles out there.

Unfortunately, over the years, as new ink companies emerged, and as the larger pen companies such as Pilot, Sailor, Pelikan, etc. began to introduce a wider range of options into the ink market, Private Reserve lost ground. Reports of quality control issues didn’t help - I personally lost a bottle of Burgundy Mist to “Slime in the Bottle” (mold) and another red ink turned brown as the dye deteriorated. Then, the owner passed away, and the future of the company was in doubt. You didn’t see much Private Reserve ink in stock at retailers or at pen shows. From an outsider’s perspective, things looked grim.

Not so fast. Recently, things have turned around. A former employee purchased the company. Changes apparently were made to ink formulations. Old favorites such as D.C. Supershow Blue, Burgundy Mist, and Tanzanite began to reappear in stock at retailers. And you know what? The ink I’ve tried thus far is excellent. Back at the beginning of March, as I was getting ready to leave the Baltimore Pen Show, Lisa Vanness asked whether I’d like to take a bottle of Private Reserve to review, as the new owner had been making the rounds at the show - where she had her own table - promoting the company and letting everyone know that Private Reserve is back and ready to do business.

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66ml, filled to the brim! (Don’t knock this one over onto the carpet.)

So what about my beloved Burgundy Mist? Is it as good as I remember (minus the whole SITB issue)? In short, yes. Burgundy Mist is the same saturated, classic dark burgundy that shows up well on the page and is perfect for a more conservative office environment. Despite the saturation, the ink behaves incredibly well - it dries nearly immediately in a fine or extra fine nib, with no noticeable feathering and minimal bleedthrough even on the cheapest of generic memo pads from my desk at work. Not what I expected from Private Reserve. Did I mention that the ink remains inexpensive? At $11 for 66ml, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better deal based on price-per-ml, though I wouldn’t be surprised to see that price come up a bit in the future as the company regains its foothold.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Based on my experience with Burgundy Mist, I’m going to give Private Reserve another shot, and look forward to picking up more old favorites such as Sherwood Green, Supershow Blue, Tanzanite, Avocado (yes, they fixed the spelling) and Chocolate. At the price-point, it’s a low-risk proposition, and based on my experience with Burgundy Mist I’m confident that at least a few of those will turn out well and wind up back in the rotation.

Though not as widely available as it used to be, Private Reserve is still relatively easy to find at retailers. The deep bottle is more of a jar, with the wide mouth making it easy to fill pens with large nibs.

Disclaimer: This post has been revised to reflect/disclose that as of June 2025, T.G.S. is now a retailer of Private Reserve Ink! You can purchase a selection of the Private Reserve Colors directly from our shop.

Favorite Workhorse Fountain Pen Inks, as Determined by Actual Use

I’ll preface this post with the admission that I’m a serial ink changer and I have more ink than five people could use in a lifetime. That makes it hard to pick “favorite” inks, since I rarely use the same one twice in a row, and in the nearly ten years I’ve been active in this hobby have probably only finished a couple of bottles, though I have several that are close to empty. It’s these latter inks that caught my attention as I was sorting through my ink cabinets this past weekend. Despite changing inks frequently, I evidently keep coming back to these particular colors and brands.

1. Waterman Serenity/Florida Blue. The king of “safe” fountain pen ink, which represents the gold standard for testing at pen shows due to how easily this ink flushes out of pens. I also love how this ink behaves in daily use, finding that it flows well and typically won’t feather or bleed on most papers. While some people find the blue color washed-out, particularly after it dries, I think it lends your writing a retro/vintage look. Also, if you’d like to add some vibrancy to standard Waterman Blue, just mix in a bit of Waterman Purple, which creates a lovely ultramarine color that’s been dubbed “Blurple” in pen circles.

2. Waterman Tender Purple/Violet. I’ve gone through 3/4 of a bottle of Waterman purple over the years. This particular ink is a bit more temperamental than others in Waterman’s lineup, mainly due to its potential to stain, but I’ve always loved the vibrant color. As noted above, this ink mixes well, and another fun experiment is to mix this ink with Sheaffer Skrip Red to form a nice burgundy.

3. Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo. The first expensive bottle of ink that I purchased, back when Iroshizuku was considered a “luxury” ink and cost much more than the $20 per 50ml currently charged at retail. I loved (and still love) everything about the Iroshizuku lineup, from the glass bottle that looks great on a desk to the range of colors based on Japan’s natural features. Tsuki-Yo (“Moonlight”) is a blue-black-teal color reminiscent of the night sky, and the exact shade of this ink changes depending on lighting and whether it’s wet or dry. This is one I always find myself coming back to!

4. Iroshizuku Yama-Budo. The only magenta ink I use regularly. I don’t know what it is about this one, as pink-purples aren’t in my usual wheelhouse of colors, but Yama-Budo is up there as one of my favorite inks of all time. I think it has to do with the ink being just “loud” enough to be interesting, while remaining somewhat work-appropriate. It behaves well in most pens and on most paper. I’m down to less than half a bottle!

5. Aurora Black/Aurora Blue. Until last year, when Aurora went wild and released a blue-black ink, they had a simple lineup of two colors, both of which flowed extremely well and which have remained staples in my pens. Aurora Blue is a rich blue ink that has undertones of purple/violet, and Aurora Black is one of the best “pure black” inks out there. If you crave simplicity in your ink choices, and want to stick with a two-color rotation, you won’t go wrong with Aurora.

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I’ve also killed one or two bottles of special or limited edition inks, and am close to finishing a few more, but I won’t list those here because it’s not helpful to people when you can no longer buy the inks. Each of the seven listed above is a standard ink made by a pen manufacturer, which means that it’s not only generally safe to use in most pens, vintage or modern, but it’s also easily purchased at retail. You can buy any of the inks listed above from ink retailers Vanness Pens, Pen Chalet, Anderson Pens, Goldspot, and Appelboom.