EFNIR: Herbin Cacao du Brésil

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Herbin Cacao du Brésil

This is review #116 in my series.  Here's the YouTube video:

Post-recording notes: Yes, that "sphinxed" should be "sphinxes". The scan is too pale and grey.  The absorbent paper is too greyish-purplish.  The zoom is awfully close, but a bit too pale.  The screenshot isn't too far off, but I think the zoom is closer.  Cleaning was quick and easy.

And here is a screen of the final result, for those not interested in the video:

Scan of Completed Review:

Zoomed in photo:

Absorbent Paper Closeup (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper):

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap

Previous Review: Diamine Denim.

Want to influence the inky sequence?  Take the "next ink" poll.

Need to catch up on The Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh?  Find the whole story here.

Hope you enjoy.  Comments appreciated!

[yazeh]

Great job Liz as usual  This seems like a nice, rich colour for cocoa/cacao lovers, though I prefer the reel stuff

 

Finally some action, we were sphinxed by sphinxes, sphinxing away.....

 

[LizEF]

10 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Great job Liz as usual  This seems like a nice, rich colour for cocoa/cacao lovers, though I prefer the reel stuff

Thank you.  I think I prefer the beverage as well, but it does kinda grow on you.

 

10 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Finally some action, we were sphinxed by sphinxes, sphinxing away.....

Yes.  This 2-3 sentence format kinda drags...  Oh well.  Perhaps I'll manage to improve.  Still pondering the next adventure.  And how to include an old goat in it....

[ENewton]

Thank you for this review!

 

I have Cacao du Bresil in use right now, in a Parker Victory that, despite writing a fine line, is too wet for me to see much shading.  What I enjoy most is the purple undertone Cacao has on certain papers.  

 

As for feathering, the other day I tried to write a check with this ink.  The results were not good.   

 

 

[Tas]

😊

[mizgeorge]

Thanks as always @LizEF - excellent review.

 

I love Cacao du Bresil, it's one of the inks I keep backup bottles of, and it would be very rare for me not to have at least one pen inked up with it. It' has a softness that I've yet to match with any of my (many) other grey/brown inks. It always seems to behave perfectly for me, cleans up like a dream and is legible in spite of it's lightness. 

[LizEF]

2 hours ago, ENewton said:

Thank you for this review!

 

I have Cacao du Bresil in use right now, in a Parker Victory that, despite writing a fine line, is too wet for me to see much shading.  What I enjoy most is the purple undertone Cacao has on certain papers.  

 

As for feathering, the other day I tried to write a check with this ink.  The results were not good.  

You're very welcome!  Yes, definite purple undertone in places.  Ah, but your check had the most interesting ink ever!  I'm sure the automated processing machine enjoyed a bit of diversity.

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, Tas said:

😊

There's a cacao guillotine in my livingroom...

[LizEF]

7 minutes ago, mizgeorge said:

Thanks as always @LizEF - excellent review.

You're welcome!  And thanks!

 

7 minutes ago, mizgeorge said:

I love Cacao du Bresil, it's one of the inks I keep backup bottles of, and it would be very rare for me not to have at least one pen inked up with it. It' has a softness that I've yet to match with any of my (many) other grey/brown inks. It always seems to behave perfectly for me, cleans up like a dream and is legible in spite of it's lightness. 

It is very popular.  Your description is excellent.  It grew on me as I used it.

[Detman101]

Oooooh! Great review!!
I like that the ink maintains it's "Brown" color even in an extra-fine nib and doesn't turn "Black" like most chocolate colored inks do.
I will have to pick up some of this next month to replace the "diamine - tobacco burst".

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, Detman101 said:

Oooooh! Great review!!

Thank you!

 

1 hour ago, Detman101 said:

I like that the ink maintains it's "Brown" color even in an extra-fine nib and doesn't turn "Black" like most chocolate colored inks do.

Yes, this could never be mistaken for black (or any color other than brown).  The zoom is too pale - the ink is darker in real life - but the real color is in one of those images somewhere...

 

1 hour ago, Detman101 said:

I will have to pick up some of this next month to replace the "diamine - tobacco burst".

I would go with a sample if you're using a dry nib - just to check lubrication - but I suspect it'll do great in most pens.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I have an older bottle of this ink!  And a sample of Kiri-same. And the Thornton Novice pen, too.  (I am in love with the brown Thornton, using it extensively for my eBook notes.)

 

Cacao always struck me as being dry, but now I have to play with it.

 

Thanks, Liz, for another great review.  I'm waiting for the Old Goat!  🤣

[yazeh]

7 hours ago, LizEF said:

Thank you.  I think I prefer the beverage as well, but it does kinda grow on you.

 

Yes.  This 2-3 sentence format kinda drags...  Oh well.  Perhaps I'll manage to improve.  Still pondering the next adventure.  And how to include an old goat in it....

Feel free to plagiarize

 

The guards regrouped, when a winged goat slammed out of the mirror. And started munching on Marsell's beard. 

"Help," 

Makhabesh, sniggers, "Dudes, Guinevere loves nothing more that munching on inky beards,"

The Guards, throw down their weapons. Grab their beards and run for life. 

Quin takes a pompous stance, "Marsell, you are condemned to eternal damnation, to have your beard munched for eternity by GG,"

And that was the origin of Sisyphus myth. 

 

[Tas]

5 hours ago, LizEF said:

There's a cacao guillotine in my livingroom...

Gosh, yes!

Memory like a sieve lately . . .

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thanks, Liz, for another great review.

You're very welcome!  And thank you!

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I'm waiting for the Old Goat!  🤣

Oh dear.  No pressure.

[LizEF]

41 minutes ago, yazeh said:

The guards regrouped, when a winged goat slammed out of the mirror. And started munching on Marsell's beard. 

"Help," 

Makhabesh, sniggers, "Dudes, Guinevere loves nothing more that munching on inky beards,"

The Guards, throw down their weapons. Grab their beards and run for life. 

Quin takes a pompous stance, "Marsell, you are condemned to eternal damnation, to have your beard munched for eternity by GG,"

And that was the origin of Sisyphus myth. 

[LizEF]

22 minutes ago, Tas said:

Gosh, yes!

Memory like a sieve lately . . .

 

[PithyProlix]

Thanks for the review!

 

I love this ink and it just so happens I filled a pen with it today. Taupe rules! I've never met a taupe ink I didn't like.

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, PithyProlix said:

Thanks for the review!

 

I love this ink and it just so happens I filled a pen with it today. Taupe rules! I've never met a taupe ink I didn't like.

You're very welcome!

[namrehsnoom]

Cacao du Brésil is one of my favourites from the J. Herbin line of inks. Your comparison with kiri-same is spot-on: one a grey with brown undertones, while the Herbin ink is definitely a brown with grey undertones. What I like most about Cacao du Brésil is that it works great with all nib sizes and all types of paper. Just a good & solid ink. And its colour is different from all other browns in my collection.