Blackstone Red Kunzea (Scented)

[Jamerelbe]

This is the fourth of five reviews I'll be posting today and tomorrow, for one of six new inks about to be available from Just Write Pens / Blackstone Inks - so I'll keep it brief! The 'Scents of Australia' inks are made from similar components to the already-available 'Colours of Australia' line, and share their properties, with one key difference: all six inks are scented, with odours evocative of the Australian 'aromascape'.

Here's a visual of the bottles that arrived last week (minus Australian Bush):

http://i.imgur.com/LE5ZB3E.jpg

Red Kunzea is formulated to resemble the flowers of the Kunzea ambigua plant - a tall shrub round in cool coastal areas of Australia. I'll let you read the hand-written reviews for more information - suffice to say this is a dark, saturated red - maybe half-a-shade lighter than Diamine Red Dragon. Its flow characteristics are great, and I haven't had problems with feathering and blessing - at least on the photocopier paper I used for the review. It doesn't appear to sheen, at least on the papers I've tried it on.

A scan and photo of the review sheet:

http://i.imgur.com/dShTykH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4VcGHAT.jpg

And a 'live' photo of the Water Test:

http://i.imgur.com/QeOfsw5.jpg

[lgsoltek]

Ooh I like this one.

[Newjelan]

Nice

[Jamerelbe]

For anyone who's interested, the full range of Blackstone Scents of Australia inks is available at http://justwrite.com.au/. I believe they should soon be available (if they're not already) from their American and European distributors too.

[fountainpagan]

Very nice red.

 

Thank you for sharing.

[NicolausPiscator]

Thank you also for this review. Very present and direct red which I very much like.

[Newjelan]

Thanks for the reviews. Now if they'd just get those IG Platinum inks in stock and I could put an order in.

[amberleadavis]

OH, I like this one a lot.

[Jamerelbe]

Thanks for the reviews. Now if they'd just get those IG Platinum inks in stock and I could put an order in.

Both the Scents of Australia inks AND the IG Platinum inks are now in stock, but only in very limited quantities (according to the newsletter I just received) - so now might be a good time to jump in!

[bureaudirect]

Does this one smell like roses to you??

[Newjelan]

Both the Scents of Australia inks AND the IG Platinum inks are now in stock, but only in very limited quantities (according to the newsletter I just received) - so now might be a good time to jump in!

Thanks for the heads up, received an email yesterday afternoon and immediately ordered them.

[Jamerelbe]

Does this one smell like roses to you??

 

It certainly smell floral, rather than 'eucalyptus-y'. I'll have to ask someone in the house with a better sense of smell, though!

[Cyber6]

Does this one smell like roses to you??

 

Is definitively floral, but not roses.

 

I am no gardener, but I do know what roses smell like.

 

 

 

C.

[amberleadavis]

http://www.stridvall.se/flowers/albums/Kunzea/772_18.jpg

 

And widely exported as an essential oil.

 

Kunzea essential oil is probably Australia’s next essential oil wonder.

[taimdala]

Coming late to this thread but I wanted to share. I got a sample of this ink from Ink Journal.com and the second I opened the vial--SQUEEE! The scent was marvelous.

My nose isn't that great at smelling things, so I can only say that it didn't seem overpowering to me. Instead it was pleasantly aromatic, reminding me of roses but with a honeyed-sweet bottom note.

I had heard that other brands of scented inks smell nice only en masse in the bottle and rarely transfer to the pen. THIS ink actually smells great on the nib and I can't resist sniffing it whenever I uncap it before writing. It's been a solid month and a half now and the aroma is still there. FABULOUSSSSS!

And that RED ... OMGred.

Perfect.