(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Ever since I saw Robert Oster's Whiskey fountain pen ink, I've wanted to try it out. For one reason or another, I either forgot to add it to an order or didn't have luck with it being in stock. But, I finally have it and have been using this brown-orange for the last couple weeks.
Whiskey is part of a collection of ink called Drinks that represents different drink colors. The caramel color of this particular ink does a fantastic job of emulating the smooth amber/brown liquid it's named after. Described as a "terracotta orange," this is an earthy ink with a little bit of shading to add some great character.
While whiskeys vary a lot in color, I think the hue that Robert Oster captured in this ink is a fantastic representation of the general spirit. As someone who has almost no other inks that fall into this brown-orange territory, I'm afraid I might have stumbled into a new favorite color category. It reminds me a little of Diamine's Ancient Copper, but with a lighter hue and more orange. In all, it's a fantastic color that suits everyday writing while adding a bit of flare that's easy to see on the page.
Aside from the warm, caramel color of this ink, it acts like every other Robert Oster ink I've ever tried. When it comes to the writing experience and my expectations, Robert Oster inks have gotten a little boring — meaning they always behave well in the pen and provide an excellent writing experience. With Robert Oster inks, you really only have to focus on the colors you like as well as other characteristics like shading and sheen. Regardless of what you pick, the baseline performance and behavior is stellar.
There's no feathering or bleeding to speak of (I'm not counting a little bit of feathering in one of my swatch samples because that's not what I consider a normal use). Show-through is minimal given the overall light/medium shade.
My favorite attribute of this ink apart from the color is the light level of shading you get with it. Like the spirit, there isn't any variation in the base color, but the fact that it's a liquid means it can look lighter or darker depending on how much of it is in a vessel, how much light is traveling through it, etc. This small bit of shading that the ink exhibits is a perfect nod to the fact that it's emulating a liquid. The little bits of darker brown/orange around the edges of letters where the ink pools up is so satisfying. If there wasn't any shading with this ink, the overall color might be a little drab. The shading gives it that little touch of character that elevates it to another level in terms of visual interest.
There is some bad news, though. This is not a fast-drying ink. It takes roughly 25 to 35 seconds to dry to a point where it doesn't smudge. For me, the sweet spot for ink dry times is around 20 seconds. Anything less than that is gravy. At 30 seconds or more, it means I have to take that into consideration when choosing whether to use that specific pen. This will be even more of a consideration for left-handed writers or for anyone that grips then pen in a way that means your hand or arm trails the pen's writing direction. There will be smudges!
Despite the slower dry time, this ink instantly shot to the top of my current list of favorite inks. Back when I first saw it and liked the color on screen, I should have just picked it up. Like I said, with Robert Oster inks, you know you'll get a great ink, so it's all a matter of listening to what colors speak to you.
Robert Oster Whiskey is available in a 50ml bottle for just $18. This is on par for other Oster inks, and a great value for what you get. If you dig this color, then you won't be let down by how it performs and looks on the page!
(Pen Chalet provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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