Jacques Herbin Cacao du Brésil — Ink Review #249

 

Jacques Herbin Cacao du Brésil

 

Ink Review # 249


Originally posted on FPN: Jun 05, 2026


 

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🧾 Description

 

Ink: Cacao du Brésil

Brand: Jacques Herbin, Perles des Encre (All J Herbin inks are now marketed as Jacques Herbin).

Country: France

Bottle size: 10, 30 ml, cartridges. 

Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ stub 1.1), Hongdian M2 Fude, Ackerman with Zebra G nib.

 

Cacao du Brésil its one of Jacques Herbin’s classiest inks. It’s an elegant brown-grey. 

It has subtle shading and one of the most intriguing inks, I’ve ever written with. 

Lubrication can be average to below average depending nib and wetness of pen. It was wet with Hongdian, it had feedback with Lamy Safari EF, but perfectly fine with Pilot Kakuno which has a “scratchy” nib. 

 

Ink has average dry timed with EF nibs and below and longer dry times with wider nibs on Rhodia paper. That means much longer dry times on Japanese papers. And like most Herbin inks it doesn’t like copy paper. 

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🧪 Chroma

 


 

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✍️ Writing Samples (photos LED and daylight)

 

Translations from language are provided for reference only and may differ from published versions.

 

Rhodia dotpad

“You eat chocolate as if it were the most important thing in the world.” — Clarice Lispector, Brazilian writer, 1920–1977.

 



Iroful

“To him the stars seemed like so many musical notes affixed to the sky.” — Machado de Assis, Brazilian writer, 1839–1908.

 

 

Midori MD Codex

“The world is large and fits inside this window over the sea.” — Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Brazilian poet, 1902–1987.

 

 

Tomoe River 68gsm (Taroko Design Notebook)

Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews.

“Freedom is little. What I desire still has no name.” — Clarice Lispector, Brazilian writer, 1920–1977.

 

Hammermill 20lb copy paper

“The tears I shed then — black, because the ink was black — could fill this world.” — Machado de Assis, Brazilian writer, 1839–1908.

 

Closeup

 

 

 🔍 Comparison

 

Col-O-ring swatches. Scans are approximate.

 

 

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 💧 Water Test

 


 

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 🎨 Artwork

 

Breakfast at Tiffany’s 

This is surreal interpretation of this photo with fountain pen ink with my cat & mouse theme. 

Jacques Herbin Roulle d'Ancre (pink), Cacao du Brésil, Taccia Fukaki-hanada (blue), Canson Mixed Media Paper.

 



Of All the Gin Joints

Inspired by the movie Casablanca 1942.

Jacques Herbin Cacao du Brésil, Talens Mixed Media Paper. 


 

 

Flip

Inktober Challenge 52: Flip

Lady Kitty doesn't recognize herself anymore.

Fountain pens: Pilot Kakuno EF, Hongdian M2 fude nib, Strathmore Watercolor Paper. 

 

 




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- Writing Experience: Good. 

- What I Liked: Unique colour. Writing and drawing with. 

- What I Did Not Like: Lack of water resistance. 

 

 🧷 Ink Characteristics

 

- Shading: Lovely.

- Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper.

- Bleed Through: Same as above. 

- Flow Rate: Wet

- Lubrication: Average with most nibs. 

- Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. 

- Start-up: No problems. 

- Saturation: Lovely brown.

- Sheen: No. 

- Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice.

- Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.

- Staining (Pen): No. 

- Clogging: No.

- Cleaning: Easy.

- Water Resistance: No. 

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 💬 Closing

 

This one of the most elegant inks I’ve ever written with. It’s also an artist’s ink, fantastic for drawing and cross hatching and ink washes. A revelation. 

 

No fountain pens were harmed in preparing this review. ;)

 

Please don’t hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments — the more the merrier. :) 

 

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