When You Can’t Go to the Pen Show But the Pen Show Comes to You

I missed a few events this year—like the Manila Pen Show, the Phuket Asian Urban Sketchwalk I wrote about recently, and the Manila International Book Festival (MIBF). Sadly, I also missed the Malaysia International Pen Show (MIPS). Between work, motherhood, and the fact that I’m still new in my workplace (which means no vacation leaves yet), traveling to these events just wasn’t possible. Attending them also comes with expenses, and I’m saving up for a bigger project I’m not ready to share just yet.

But the universe has a funny way of working things out. Even though I couldn’t be there, I still ended up with some of the event exclusives! A watercolorist friend who joined the Phuket Sketchwalk brought me back the special watercolor sets from the event, which I’ve already shared in a previous post. And just recently, a colleague who attended a convention in Kuala Lumpur last week offered to get me the Malaysia-exclusive inks and pen-and-ink set inspired by the durian fruit from Pen Gallery.

Sinours Phuket Edition: A Watercolor Souvenir from Asia-Link Sketchwalk Thailand 2025

So while I may have missed the shows in person, I didn’t miss out entirely. Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on the MIPS-exclusive ink set she kindly got for me and two extra special inks from the country.

Below is a series of photos of the ink swatches:

Here are a short description of the inks:

Diamine Durian – A MIPS exclusive that came paired with the Kaweco Sport fountain pen. It’s a bright durian-fruit yellow that shows playful green shading on Tomoe River paper. Very bold and tropical—just like its namesake!

Diamine Kopi O Kaw – Probably the most talked-about of the set, and for good reason. This ink has a faint coffee-like aroma that makes it extra fun to use. The color itself is a rich, dark brown with a hint of green shading, especially noticeable in larger swabs on Tomoe River paper. It’s deliciously inky, almost like writing with brewed coffee.

Diamine Jalur Gemilang – Inspired by the Malaysian national flag, this one is a vibrant medium blue with striking red shading. The dual tones really stand out and feel festive, a perfect nod to its patriotic theme.

The MIPS-exclusive Durian Black Thorn set is a fun bundle that comes with a Kaweco Sport fountain pen (in your choice of nib size), a bottle of Diamine Durian ink, a sticker set, and a bookmark—all neatly packed in a clear plastic box.

The Kaweco Sport itself is a cheerful, cool yellow, with the usual Kaweco branding plus a special “Durian Black Thorn” label and a tiny durian fruit icon—such a quirky touch! It has gold-tone finial and steel nib. Just like my other Kaweco Sports pens, this one wrote smoothly out of the box. I picked mine in a double broad nib, which I think is the perfect size for showing off shading and shimmer inks.

Interestingly, the pen comes with a standard blue cartridge. A little unexpected, since it would’ve been so much nicer (and more on-theme) if they had slipped in a Durian ink cartridge instead to complete the set. And while we’re at it, imagine if the ink actually smelled like the fruit—fun for some, but definitely a head-turner in the office!

So there you have it, folks—that’s the latest stop in my fountain pen journey. Who needs vacation leaves when the goodies somehow find their way to my desk anyway? Until the next pen show adventure, I’ll be right here, happily inking away.

xoxo,

Grass