Monteverde Malibu Blue: Ink Review

Hey there, ink lovers! Madigan here, reviewing Monteverde Blue (renamed Monteverde Malibu Blue). I used this ink in my most recent Monday Matchup and was so impressed! I feel like some ink brands don’t get enough credit, Monteverde being one of them. Monteverde Malibu Blue is a rich, satisfying blue and is incredibly well behaved. I hope after this review you give it a try.

Supplies Used:

Lamy Al-Star with medium steel nib (also EF and B nib)
Rhodia No. 16 dotpad, 80g white paper
Tomoé River white paper
Moleskine notebook

Smear Test (Dry Time):

Medium– Definitely not a fast drying ink, but it was completely dry after about 30 seconds. If you are a lefty, this might not be the best ink for you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t worry too much about turning the page in your notebook while writing with this ink.

Drip Test (Water Resistance):

Low– This ink does not offer much water resistance. The color really lightens when water hits it. This would probably render your writing illegible if you were to get your notebook wet.

Saturation:

Medium-There is a definite difference between the first swab and the second, but very little between the second and the third. From my experience working with this ink in Monday Matchup, I’d say you can see some variation in color when applying it thickly.

Ease of Cleaning:

Medium– This ink offers very little resistance to water but is in a darker color, which is why I gave it a medium rating.

Shading:

Low– You can see some slight shading on some letters, but nothing too drastic.

Flow:

Medium– Very well behaved ink. It flows smoothly from the pen with no gushes or hard starts.

Packaging and Aesthetics:

90ml glass bottle with 2ml ink samples also available.
Pretty, but utilitarian, bottle. Extremely tightly closed! I had to have someone else open it.
Fits nicely in a pleasant looking box

Comparable ink:

Summary:
This ink is worth a try! If you are looking for a work appropriate, every day writing ink at an affordable price, this is the ink for you. It is very pleasant to write with, flows well, and is an unobtrusive blue. It could work well at school, in the office, or even in art!