Noodler's American Aristocracy - the Ink and History

When this ink first came out, I looked at the swatches online and didn't really give the color much thought as this is not normally a color I am drawn to. I then obtained a sample from the Ink Flight by Inkjournal. I will admit that the sample led me to buy a bottle and I am hooked. I love this ink and of course, there is a historical significance to this particular color. Nathan Tardif of Noodler's Ink is really good at that.

What I did not understand at first is why this ink has 3 different values of essentially the same hue. After looking into the story behind the ink's inspiration, it all came together.

Thomas Gage's son, Henry, purchased approx 19,000 bottles of wine for the purpose of gaining power, influence and notoriety from other aristocrats at the expense of excessive taxation from the common folk at the time. The wine consisted of three very popular vintages, which were a dark sherry, a port and a fortified wine named Madeira. Three different wines and three different wine colored ink hues.

These three colors are interesting. I only have one of the hues. It dries more of a plum/burgundy with notes of brown. I am unsure as to which wine I have but I really enjoy using it.

The other part of this ink is more of a message from Mr. Tardif, much like his Berning Red did for Bernie Sanders. To quote Nathan Tardif of Noodler's Ink:

"These reflect a series of plum burgundy hues – a very old style royal purple ink, traditionalist in tone due to the distance of the colonial era and age of the collective memory of it – yet fairly dramatic in the contrast of its lines upon the page.  Hopefully, the memory of that “ancient regime” may give pause to those who may otherwise be prepared to embrace a new one that is surprisingly similar in its motives and behaviors."

A definite jab at what we are currently experiencing here in the US. Politics aside, this is a lovely ink, regardless of which value or shade you receive. Each bottle is hand bottled which helps add to the uniqueness here. The bottles are not labeled, as far as I can see, to depict which ink color you are buying. I am happy with mine and I do love the historical inspiration that caused it to come to be.

This post is based off of my experience and my opinion. I do not represent Noodler's Ink nor am I being compensated in any way.