Smoke Noir - Monteverde Noir Ink

[visvamitra]

Monteverde is part of Yafa company. Some time ago the company offered wide array of new inks with Ink ITF™ - new Ink Treatment Formula that's supposed to drastically improve ink-flow quality, extend cap-off time and improve ink drying time on paper. After trying two inks I can agree it's not just marketing - the inks behave very well.

The company entered ink market in strong way. After succesfull launch of Gemstone series, Noir, Core and Emotions series followed.

Bottle

The inks can be bought in 30 (and 90) ml bottle. The bottle is made of lass, has simple design and id pretty functional - stable and with wide neck allowing to fill quite comfortably (as long as there's more than 60 % of the ink content in it) even monster fountain pens straight from the bottle.

Ink

The ink is well saturated and displays pleasant range of grey hues. The shading is visible. The flow is smooth and the ink feels well lubricated even in dry pens. Some feathering and bleed-through will be experienced only on crappiest papers (hello Moleskine). Drying time is reasonable. Also, it's impressive that the ink doesn't dry out when you leave the pen uncapped. Even after three minutes the pen starts without any skipping when you put the nib to the paper. I enjoy this ink.

It's one of best grey inks I've used. Also it's quite water resistant.

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Color ID

Color range

Field Notes, Pilot CH 92, medium nib, stubbed

Rhodia, Pilot CH 92, medium nib, stubbed

Tomoe River, Pilot CH 92, medium nib, stubbed

Water Resistance

[Tas]

OOo, is this a little like Lexington Grey?

Thanks for reviewing this one visvamitra

[namrehsnoom]

Nice grey ... and water resistant too. Sounds like a nice match for an EDC pen.

[katerchen]

Awesome quote

 

Can't wait for the next book to come out in the next month or so.

[visvamitra]

@katerchen - I have it preordered and can't wait to see what happens to Nona next. Also, I really hope Sister Thorn will survive.

[inkstainedruth]

Hmm. This one is a maybe. I haven't tried Lexington Gray (I did just get a sample of it). But Smoke Noir seems to be -- depending on the paper -- somewhere in between J Herbin Fuyu-Syogun, Diamine Grey and Anniversary Silver Fox, and De Atramentis Fog Grey and Silver Grey.

Thanks for the review. And, well, maybe not....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Newjelan]

Thanks for the review. I have just ordered the full set of Noir inks and am looking forward to them even more after this review.

[Arcadian]

I am using Copper Noir today, and I must say, it really is a lovely ink! At first I was unenamored with it, but I just received a stub Delta, and in combination with this pen, the ink is rather splendid! Well behaved, beautiful colour, and gorgeous shading!

 

- P.

[migo984]

I am using Copper Noir today, and I must say, it really is a lovely ink! At first I was unenamored with it, but I just received a stub Delta, and in combination with this pen, the ink is rather splendid! Well behaved, beautiful colour, and gorgeous shading!

 

- P.

Agree: it is a lovely ink. Definitely one of the better ones I’ve bought recently.

[Pravda]

Oh wow.. I wish I had an opportunity to get this where I live.

 

Thanks for an amazing review:)

[Honeybadgers]

I wish I could find a really warm grey with brown notes. Every grey I see just comes across as a little too steely.

[visvamitra]

Kyonooto Stone Road of Gion is greyish brown. Not grey but it may be interesting for you.

[Carrau]

I wish I could find a really warm grey with brown notes. Every grey I see just comes across as a little too steely.

Monteverde Moonstone and R&K Sepia are grey leaning browns you might look at as well as Stone Road of Gion as Vis has suggested.

[NibsForScript]

Beautiful ink.. Worth a try.

[rudyhou]

i'm liking the look of this grey ink.

[AidenMark]

Monteverde Moonstone and R&K Sepia are grey leaning browns you might look at as well as Stone Road of Gion as Vis has suggested.

 

 

Why is Monteverde Moonstone unobtainium (at least in my Euro neck of the woods). All the other Monteverde inks are available but Moonstone is not, and I have checked numerous suppliers in Germany. Anyone have a source?

[Karmachanic]

Cult Pens UK have it in stock. Best I can do.

[A Smug Dill]

All the other Monteverde inks are available but Moonstone is not, and I have checked numerous suppliers in Germany. Anyone have a source?

I ordered mine from Pen Chalet, on one of the rare occasions on which I buy things from US-based retailers that do not include 'free' shipping past a certain threshold (for customers anywhere), but charge an arm and a leg (compared to shipping from UK or Europe to Australia, on literally the opposite side of the planet).

 

I don't think I've ever seen Monteverde Moonstone go out-of-stock with multiple retailers simultaneously at the regular list prices, so it's definitely not an 'unobtanium' ink if you're prepared to wear the shipping and any import tax implications.

 

I wish I could find a really warm grey with brown notes.

Pilot Iroshizuku kiri-same? (visvamitra's reviews of it here and here)

Sailor Jentle (Kujukuri Coast collection) byoubu-ganpeki (209 屏風岸壁) and/or hamachidori (210 浜千鳥)?

Edited March 13, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[Darth_Roo]

I've been agonising over your website for a good grey and this is the closest I get to my needs. Great review!

[AidenMark]

Has the sheen been mentioned? This has a silver sheen that make it look like graphite on the page. I have it in a Parker 45 with a fine nib and it's like writing with a sharp 3H pencil.

 

The only thing I don't like about it is the pong. It has that slightly nauseous vanilla cookie smell to it that a lot of the KWZ inks have. Not as strong, certainly, but enough to be annoying. And, unlike KWZ ink, it keeps a hint of the smell after it has dried on the page.

Edited March 14, 2019 by AidenMark