Private Reserve - Cadillac Green

Private Reserve - Cadillac Green - Ink drop

This is Cadillac Green from Private Reserve. With the death of its owner in Sept. 2020, it looked like the end. However, new owners took over, there’s a new look bottle and packaging, and with the recent release of 22 popular colors, there’s new life in the brand!

Visually, this is an interesting ink. It’s both a green and a teal at the same time. The base color is a cool mid-green with blue undertones and a hint of yellow. However, this is a decent shading ink, and the color shifts as it shades. Dark areas are a true emerald green, while light areas pull out the blues creating a sugary, light blue-green. On premium papers, varying levels of halo stroke-edging develop, adding depth and definition in a pleasing way. The splatter shows a powerful magenta sheen, but none is visible in writing.

Private Reserve - Cadillac Green - Shading and sheen

As a writing ink, Cadillac Green performs well on paper, but my experience was mixed. Neither wet, nor dry, flow was nice and smooth, until it wasn’t! Periodically, pens that don’t normally give me trouble would stop writing. I’d prime the feeds, and they would resume writing. This happened about once a page. It wasn’t a disaster, but it was a bit frustrating. Otherwise, strokes were clean, with nice shading on all papers. Halo showed on premiums, and really added to the aesthetics. Drying was 15-20 seconds on premiums, and under 5 seconds on office copy.

Private Reserve - Cadillac Green - Ink swatch card

This ink is attractive and interesting on paper. When it’s working well, it’s a nice writing ink, too. However, the stops and starts worry me. I’m also not a fan of the design of the new bottle and lid. They are prone to leaking by trapping ink above the rim. At the same time, Private Reserve inks are very affordable. If you like the color, you might as well grab a bottle, but don’t be surprised if things aren’t perfect.