For most of the past few years, Rohrer & Klingner (R&K) have offered an annual, limited-edition ink. These inks are sometimes themed on types of wood, and swap white-background labels for a background that matches the ink’s color. 2023’s ink is Ebony, and as an iron gall ink, it’s even more special. R&K have several popular iron gall inks in their standard catalog, so you can expect good performance from Ebony.

2023 Ebony is a rich, bold black, and it very much matches the intense color of the wood from which it gets its name. Although the chromatography reveals an orange-brown influence, on most papers, this is an ink that truly celebrates the color black.

Shading is restrained, but it’s there on some papers. You’ll find enough variation on stroke ends to add interest, but overall, this is a focused black by design.

As an iron gall ink, the color grows in intensity as it dries. Once dry, you can rely on your words to last. Iron gall inks have wonderful water resistance, and that permanence is the reason historical documents remain crisp and legible today. When using iron gall inks, you need to clean pens regularly to avoid staining some materials and potential damage to metal components. My rule is to keep iron gall inks in pens no more than a month before cleaning. Some people aren’t as strict, but I like to be extra safe with pens I treasure.

R&K make excellent writing inks. 2023 Ebony is rich and smooth in flow. I’d place it between neutral and wet, and I don’t have any complaints in writing experience. There was no feathering on any of the six papers tested. Drying was average to fast depending on the type of paper. This is very much a writer’s ink, but the permanence makes it great for artists, as well.

Rohrer & Klingner inks come in 50 ml bottles, and they are always extremely reasonably priced. A quick search shows that even this limited edition is only €9.75 or $12.95, but supplies are limited, and it’s sold out at some popular online sellers. If you want a nice, iron gall, black ink, I definitely recommend the limited-edition 2023 Ebony. If you can’t find this one, maybe try their Document Black. It will have many of the same properties, and it’s easily available.

Special thanks to Maria at www.inksinspiration.com for gifting me this ink. Her site offers hard-to-find brands to the Spanish and European market, and it’s well worth a visit no matter where you live!