For my first “on vacation” post from last week, I recapped my five favorite pens from the first half of 2018. This week I’ll do the same for several inks I’ve been using recently. If you’ve been following the blog regularly, you won’t be surprised to see that Colorverse inks feature prominently, as I’ve been quite impressed with this line of inks from South Korea.
Disclaimer: The following contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. It’s how I support the blog and keep the lights on around here. That said, whether or not I chose to include a specific pen on this list in the first place is a choice separate and apart from which retailer I choose to link to. No sponsor or affiliate had any input into the inks included on this list, which reflects my own personal opinion.
Colorverse Dark Energy. It’s a dark burgundy ink, so of all the Colorverse inks that I’ve had the opportunity to try so far, Dark Energy is my favorite. I’ve had it inked in at least one pen since I got my hands on this bottle. Colorverse inks play nice in most pens and on most paper. My review here.
Sailor Rikyu-Cha. Is brown? Is it green? Is it grey? All of the above? Rikyu-cha is one of those colors that defies categorization, other than to say it’s really cool looking and an ink that I enjoy using regularly. Sailor inks are among my favorite for everyday use, and Rikyu-cha is an excellent work-friendly option. My review here.
Colorverse Schrodinger & Cat. For their “Season Three” inks, Colorverse chose to issue inks in pairs, so you’ll receive a 65ml bottle of one color along with a 15ml bottle of another. Schrodinger (a dark green) and Cat (a “glistening” blue) complement each other nicely. Cat is actually one of the few “shimmer inks” that I’ll use for regular writing. My review here.
Papier Plume Bootlegger’s Sacrament. Ok, not fair, since it was a Chicago Show special edition and I’m not sure how much is left for regular purchase, but I really, really like this dusky purple ink. If you were unable to get a bottle, keep watching the Papier Plume website and social media accounts, because they are releasing a steady stream of new ink colors in addition to their regular lineup. My review here.
Aurora Blue-Black. Some might find this choice boring, but Aurora’s first new release in years has become something of a staple for me, in addition to their standard blue and black inks that, in my opinion, are some of the best “standard” colors out there. The ink itself was actually released last year, but it didn’t make its way into my rotation until recently. I’ll need to review it on its own soon, but it makes an appearance in my review of the Aurora Flex nib.
Honorable Mention
Well, the Montegrappa Fuchsia did make an appearance on my Instagram feed. Sort of.
Montegrappa Fuchsia. I can’t officially add this ink to the list, since I’ve just received it, but given my “pink ink” obsession I thought I’d mention it here. Montegrappa only recently started to expand their ink offerings by releasing some “wilder” colors, like the Fuchsia, and so far I’ve been impressed. The color is quite vibrant, and generally behaves well for such a brightly colored pink. Look for a review soon.