Around 2006 several houses offered perfumed writing inks. The Jansen manufactory, distributed in Germany through Dössel & Rademacher, carried inks in numerous scents, among them a vivid green golf ink smelling of grass, as well as bespoke mixtures: for a Hamburg zoo an ink scented of elephant, for other customers notes such as camel or horse. Tobacco and cigar were said to be the preferences among men, lavender and rose among women. Caran d'Ache also brought out an ink collection at the time whose shades take their cue from colours found in nature.

The dearest was gold ink: a bottle holding five millilitres cost around 250 euros in 2006 and was meant to last for up to 12,000 signatures. Matching ink containers were also sold by Swarovski and Cartier. As a general rule, the recommendation is to use in a fountain pen the ink offered by its own maker wherever possible.