Ink Review #1233: Kobe 47 Aotani Cascade Green

This morning we looked at Bungubox Kaoru that I’ve wanted for a long time. Now let’s take a look at another long-wished-for ink: Kobe 47 Aotani Cascade Green. This ink comes in a 50ml glass bottle. Thanks to Goldspot Pens for sending a bottle over for review!

The color:

Aotani Cascade Green is a bright medium teal, not quite green like the name makes it sound.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks slightly darker with a little bit of pink sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, tiny pink sheen, and no shimmer. The sheen is only visible in large swabs on Tomoe River Paper.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Aotani Cascade Green is pretty close to Pelikan Edelstein Jade in color, but flows so much better. Click here to see the Kobe inks together, and click here to see the teal inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Kaweco Sport Sage with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a wet flow.

Overall, I really enjoyed this ink. It flows really well, has some nice shading and is such a happy color. I’m glad I have a full bottle of this ink because I know I will use it often!

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Goldspot Pens for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1232: Bungubox Kaoru

One ink I’ve had on my wishlist for a while but never got around to trying is Bungubox Kaoru. I saw some pictures of it online and fell in love and knew I had to try it. This ink comes in a 30ml glass “shoe” bottle. Thanks to Goldspot Pens for sending a bottle over for review!

The color:

Kaoru is a gorgeous medium minty green.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some pretty shading.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, no sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

There are a lot of green inks lighter or darker than this color, but no great matches. Click here to see the Bungubox inks together, and click here to see the green inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Lamy Safari Candy Turquoise with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a wet flow.

Overall, I love almost everything about this ink. It’s a gorgeous color, well behaved, lovely shading and a nice wet flow. The only thing I don’t love is the price-it’s a whopping $53.95 for 30ml of ink.

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Goldspot Pens for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1231: Diamine Sargasso Sea

Now that we’ve finally made it through the Diamine Inkvent Calendar we can get back to regular reviews, starting with Diamine Sargasso Sea. I purchased my bottle of ink from Cult Pens, but you can find this ink for sale at most US retailers, including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Sargasso Sea is a bright royal blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some pretty coppery sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 5 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: no shading, high copper sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Sargasso Sea seems like a darker version of Diamine Royal Blue. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Bonecrusher Studios pen with a Regalia Writing Labs Crossflex nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a wet flow.

Overall, this is a fun sheeny ink but it is prone to a bit of smearing on Tomoe River paper. It’s a fun ink, but it’ll never be an everyday ink for me.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #911 Redux: Diamine Winter Miracle

Diamine Winter Miracle was first released as part of the 2019 Inkvent Calendar, but is now available on its own as part of the Blue Collection. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Winter Miracle is a dark blue violet with lots of extras.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has gold sheen and blue shimmer.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: low shading, high gold sheen, and blue shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Winter Miracle is darker than both J Herbin Amethyste de L’oural (silver shimmer) and Diamine Purple Pazzazz (gold shimmer). Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the purple inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Franklin Christoph 45 in Purpurarium with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow. In this nib the ink looks almost black rather than purple.

Overall, this is a fun ink, lots of sheen and shimmer, but not much shading. This ink also looks more black than purple in some nibs.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #925 Redux: Diamine Purple Bow

Diamine Purple Bow was first released as part of the 2019 Inkvent Calendar, but is now available on its own as part of the Blue Collection. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Purple Bow is a dark violet ink.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks much darker and has some pretty copper sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: low shading, high copper sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Purple Bow is closest to Diamine Purple Rain. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the purple inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Sailor Pro Gear Slim Purple Cosmos with a zoo nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow, and matched the pen well.

Overall, this is a great option for those who love Diamine Purple Rain but have a hard time finding it in the States. Purple Bow does have bronze sheen instead of Purple Rain’s gold, but it’s a good alternative.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #902 Redux: Diamine Blue Peppermint

Diamine Blue Peppermint was first released as part of the 2019 Inkvent Calendar, but is now available on its own as part of the Blue Collection. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Blue Peppermint is a bright aqua blue with shimmer.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some shimmer, not as much as most other shimmer inks I’ve tried.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 15 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: low shading, no sheen, and blue shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Blue Peppermint has a little less green than Diamine Spearmint Diva, and is a bit lighter than Robert Oster Morning Shine. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Franklin Christoph 45 in Vanness Blue with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow, and matched the pen well.

Overall, I like this ink! It performs well, but I do wish it had a bit more shading.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #905 Redux: Diamine Polar Glow

Diamine Polar Glow was first released as part of the 2019 Inkvent Calendar, but is now available on its own as part of the Blue Collection. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Polar Glow is a bright medium blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some pretty sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 15 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: high shading, high pink sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Polar Glow is similar to both Diamine Jalur Gemiilang and Diamine a Night in Jodhpur. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Montegrappa Elmo Blue with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, I enjoyed this ink. it’s a lovely color and pretty well behaved, with plenty of shading and sheen.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #915 Redux: Diamine Jack Frost

Diamine Jack Frost was first released as part of the 2019 Inkvent Calendar, but is now available on its own as part of the Blue Collection. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Jack Frost is a dark turquoise blue with lots of sheen and shimmer.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some pretty sheen and shimmer.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Medium

Other properties: high shading, high pink sheen, and blue shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Jack Frost is darker than both Robert Oster Blue Moon and Diamine Arctic Blue. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Franklin-Christoph 45 in Charcoal and Creme with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a slightly wet flow.

Overall, I rather love this ink, despite some bleeding on Rhodia and Leuchtturm. It has some gorgeous shading, especially in a broad nib.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #916 Redux: Diamine Festive Cheer

Diamine Festive Cheer was first released as part of the 2019 Inkvent Calendar, but is now available on its own as part of the Blue Collection. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Festive Cheer is a dark royal blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has a lot of bronzy sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, high bronze sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Festive Cheer is closest to Colorverse Quasar, but it’s not a great match. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a TWSBI Eco Transparent Blue with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, I like this ink. It’s a pretty color, well behaved and didn’t smear on Tomoe River paper.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #926 Redux: Diamine Happy Holidays

Diamine Happy Holidays was first released as part of the 2019 Inkvent Calendar, but is now available on its own as part of the Blue Collection. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Happy Holidays is a dark blue with red sheen and blue shimmer.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has plenty of sheen and shimmer.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 15 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: medium shading, high red sheen, and blue shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Happy Holidays is pretty close to Diamine Maureen. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used an Edison Collier Blue Steel with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, it’s a gorgeous winter ink with lots of shading, sheen and shimmer. This ink would be perfect for the winter and holiday season.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.