Diamine Mistletoe
Ink Review #45
*Please note that the scan is the accurate representation of this color.
This ink is part of the Inkvent Blue Edition (2019)
Overview
The color/properties:
Diamine Mistletoe is a medium green with light but minimal grey and yellow undertones. Mistletoe has a slightly flat/matte appearance on the paper, and it shades with a crisp cut between it’s light and dark tones where the ink pools. A light red sheen appeared in the ink droplets, and while it might be possible to get some minimal sheen around the edges of writing where the ink pools, I don’t expect to see a lot of sheen from this ink in most circumstances.
Ink splat
Ink droplets
Performance on paper:
During my tests, I ran into some minor bleed-through in the Kokuyo notebook, but there wasn’t any noticeable bleeding or feathering on the other papers. The dry times were mostly average, often drying within the 20-second mark for the larger nibs. They were notably better on Rhodia, where all the nibs managed to dry within 15 seconds. The water resistance was good. The color washes away when exposed to water, but there wasn’t a lot of clouding, and it left behind grey shadows of what was written that were crisp and legible.
Water resistance
Chromatography
Performance in the pen:
During my tests, I experienced constant skipping with the needlepoint nib. It wasn’t terribly surprising because Mistletoe has a dry flow. With the extra fine-through-medium nibs, the flow was a non-issue, but I experienced periodic hard-starting with the broad and stub nibs. Despite the dry flow, Mistletoe never felt as if it was lacking in lubrication. It wasn’t slick by any means, but it wasn’t an unpleasant experience, either. With the fine and medium especially, I found it to be quite enjoyable.
Cleaning the pen out was very easy, and the water ran clear after a single soak and flush. There wasn’t any leftover color or residue in the pen or nib units
Value/cost per ml:
As of writing, Diamine Mistletoe is purchasable for $17 for a 50ml bottle from US retailers, making this ink $0.34 per ml.
The bottle/packaging:
Mistletoe comes in the standard four-footed Diamine Inkvent bottle with a very festive blue outer box signifying the edition, and showcasing the ornate bottle inside via a round window in the face of the box. The bottle is topped with a smooth silver cap similar to the gold ones found on standard Damine bottles. The green foil label generally represents the color inside, and the bottle has a crisp and clear transparency. The footing makes the bottle bottom-wide, allowing for stability when filling, but much like the standard Diamine bottles, I don’t find that the opening is wide enough, and I prefer to fill from this bottle via a syringe or eyedropper.
Score: 62.5/70
Price per ml: 7/10
Performance in a pen: 6.5/10
Performance on paper: 9/10
Color saturation: 6/10
Sheening: 1/10
Shading: 4/10
Dry time: 8/10
Water resistance: 4/10
Ease of cleaning: 9/10
Bottle form: 5/5
Bottle function: 3/5
*Only 70 of the 100 available points are required for an outstanding score.
My personal thoughts…
When I first picked up Diamine Mistletoe I was immediately won over by the color and theme. It was an easy purchase — a wintry and natural-looking green that I thought would be great to write my holiday cards with for the season. I still maintain that opinion to this day, but since then, I never really gravitated towards it again. When I started preparing this review, I immediately remembered why: I’m not a fan of the dry flow. I remember trying it in a number of pens before finding an experience I was pleased with. I think once you find a good pair, it’s just fine, but the hassle and wasted ink that comes with finding that perfect pen/ink combo isn’t necessarily conducive to a fun and festive holiday experience.
Written in a Leuchtturm1917 notebook with a Pilot Custom 67 <M>
More images/info:
Tools and materials used in the writing samples:
A TWSBI Diamond 580 AL with 7 nib units including a Needlepoint grind, EF, F, M, B, 1.1mm stub, and an Architect grind. All nibs tuned to perform at the same medium wetness.
A Rhodia No16 A5 DotPad
A Leuchtturm1917 A5 Notebook
A 68gsm A5 Tomoe River Notebook
A Maruman Mnemosyne A5 Spiral Notebook
A Kokuyo Campus A5 Notebook