Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Ink drop

This blast of summer is Sailor’s (U.S.) 2023 Pen Show Exclusive. I received my bottle for registering for their Virtual Pen Show held at the beginning of July (although I ended up missing the event, but that’s another story.) I think you’ll probably be able to pick it up at most of the U.S. pen shows throughout the rest of 2023.

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Cosmo Air Light

I was worried that this ink would only be a simple orange, but it’s more complex than it first appears. It has a creaminess that I really like. It reminds me of an orange yogurt on some papers.

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Tomoe River

Gentle red influences bring it more to something like deliciously fatty salmon belly, than a standard, citrus orange. This is more common on coated papers. Cosmo Air Light brings out peachy stroke and swatch centers, that I didn’t find on Tomoe River or many uncoated papers. On cheap copy paper, it’s closer to a neon orange, and less interesting to me.

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Cosmo Air Snow

There are no surprises in writing performance. Sailor inks are consistently good, as we all know. This is a moderately wet ink, and the writing experience was very comfortable and smooth. Even when using cheap copy paper, I didn’t find any issues with feathering or spread. On uncoated papers, I did notice more showthrough than I expected, but drying ws fast on all papers tested.

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Writing Samples

Sailor’s 2023 Pen Show Exclusive is at its best on papers that bring out the creaminess and salmon undertones. The price they list is US$20, which is a lot for a 20 ml bottle of any ink, but it’s a special edition. (Let me know if the price is different at in-person pen shows, and I’ll include that here.) If the color grabs you, grab a bottle! Plus, it’s a great show souvenir!

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Swatch Card

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Comparisons

Sailor - 2023 Pen Show Exclusive - Bottle and Box