Grass Padrique | The Fabulous Scientist

Some fountain pens I bought because they write beautifully. Others I bought because they were made locally and I love to support local businesses. And then there are the pens I buy simply because they remind me of childhood favorites.

For me, that pen has always been a BENU. If you’ve seen them at all in person or in pictures, then you’d know what I’m talking about. Some of the pens look like candies while others are like sunset sky or the beach on summer days.

I’ve wanted one for years, partly because they’re unapologetically gorgeous and partly because almost everyone in my fountain pen circle who are serious collectors (I’m not even close to being one) seems to rave about them. The problem? BENU pens are surprisingly elusive in the Philippines. Unlike many popular brands, you can’t simply add one to your online shopping cart during a moment of questionable financial judgment.

Founded in Armenia in 2016 by Alex Semanin and Kate Dmitrieva, BENU set out to create writing instruments that rejected the notion that fountain pens had to be conservative. Drawing from their backgrounds in fine watches, jewelry, and home décor, they embraced bold colors, playful designs, and eye-catching materials. In a hobby where black-and-gold pens often dominate, BENU cheerfully asks for the pen I’m going to write about below, “But what if your pen looked like dessert?”

A Sweet Surprise at the Pen Meet

Last July 18, I attended the 18th Anniversary of the Fountain Pen Network Philippines. Aside from the Manila Pen Show, it’s probably the country’s biggest gathering of fountain pen enthusiasts. For the past three years, the celebration has conveniently been held at the University of the Philippines Diliman, which is practically in my backyard here in Quezon City. That means no long drive—just a short trip to a room full of people enthusiastically discussing nib grinds, inks, and pens that cost more than perfectly functional laptops.

Every anniversary features booths from both large and small stationery shops showcasing fountain pens, inks, notebooks, and all the dangerous things that tempt people with weak financial self-control (me included).

Naturally, I came prepared.

Or at least I thought I did.

I intentionally brought only a limited amount of cash to prevent myself from buying “just one more pen.” It’s a strategy that has worked… occasionally.

As I wandered around the booths, however, I spotted the BENU Neapolitan Ice Cream edition.

Game over.

With its strawberry pink cap, creamy white section, and chocolate-brown barrel shimmering with glitter, it looked less like a writing instrument and more like a scoop of Neapolitan ice cream that had somehow evolved into a fountain pen.

Of course, I couldn’t stop there.

To complete the dessert theme, I decided to get the Kobe Strawberry Chocolate ink from the same booth. Suddenly, the combination transported me back to childhood summers, chasing after the neighborhood sorbetero and proudly holding a cone with strawberry and chocolate scoops before they melted faster than I could eat them.

Some fountain pens inspire poetry.

This one made me crave ice cream.

Pen Review

The first thing anyone notices about the BENU is its appearance. This is not a pen for people who believe fountain pens should quietly blend into a shirt pocket.

The chocolate-colored resin barrel has a remarkable chatoyance that almost resembles melting chocolate under sunlight. The white grip section flows naturally into a strawberry-pink cap, while tiny glitter particles scattered throughout the resin sparkle like colorful candy sprinkles. It’s whimsical without crossing into novelty territory, and somehow manages to look luxurious and playful at the same time.

If there’s one thing BENU absolutely nailed, it’s the design. This is the kind of pen that doesn’t stay unnoticed for long. Bring it to a pen meet, set it on the table for five minutes, and chances are someone will eventually ask, “Can I see that pen?”

Performance-wise, the pen comes with a standard international converter, making it easy to ink up with almost any bottled ink. I chose Kobe Strawberry Chocolate because, honestly, how could I not? The pairing was too perfect to pass up.

A pleasant bonus was the shopping experience itself. Sir Alden, who sold me both the pen and the ink, generously gave me a substantial discount when I bought them together, along with a few notebooks. Fountain pen enablers come in many forms, and generous sellers are definitely among them.

The medium nib, however, gave me a small surprise.

Most reviews I’d read described BENU nibs as exceptionally smooth, so I expected a buttery writing experience. Mine has a noticeable hint of feedback. Not unpleasant—just more tactile than anticipated. Curious, I examined the nib under a loupe but couldn’t find any issues with tine alignment or tipping.

I also noticed something interesting with the ink. Kobe Strawberry Chocolate appeared noticeably lighter in this BENU than when I used the same ink in another medium-nibbed pen that writes wetter and smoother. It’s a good reminder that inks don’t perform in isolation; the pen itself plays a huge role in shading, saturation, and overall writing character.

Would I have preferred a smoother nib? Perhaps.

Would that stop me from reaching for this pen?

Not a chance.

Sometimes a fountain pen earns its place in the collection because it offers the smoothest writing experience. Other times, it earns that spot simply because every time you uncap it, it makes you smile. The pen’s barrel goes with my chatoyant pen collection theme.

And if it also makes you want Neapolitan ice cream along the way, well… that’s just the cherry on top.