Montblanc, that posh purveyor of pens, purses and more, unveils its first collection of fragrances inspired by the 100th year anniversary of the Meisterstück pen. Black Meisterstück, the Absolute Incense, serves as an homage, crafted to elicit the elevated writing experience Montblanc promises with the Meisterstück pen. And, as unfathomable as it may seem to translate a writing utensil into an eau de parfum, the intensity of the storied pen truly comes through, down to the fragrance’s bottle sculpted from a Montblanc glass vial of ink. 

The Meisterstück actually started as a refined version of the House’s 1924 Montblanc Safety Pen. It wasn’t until the ‘30s that the Meisterstück received its first standalone design of bold rings, clips and two-tone nibs. The dawn of the ‘50s prompted the creation of a more streamlined model, and thus the pen’s “cigar” form was birthed. While the pen had a brief sleek style stint in the ‘60s following the modern codes introduced by the “jet age” aesthetic, it seems Montblanc had enough of the ever-changing trend rotation, and finally settled on the cigar-esque silhouette to define the iconic pen. It is the Meisterstück’s legacy Montblanc honors in their newest fragrance collection. 

At the forefront, intensely warm and opulently woody, Black Meisterstück, the Absolute Incense, stands as a tribute to Incense of Somalia, drawn from wood resin and heated by notes of nutmeg and fiery ginger. Devoted to the elevated writing experience provoked by Montblanc pens, the eau de parfum aims to conjure that pleasant sensation of the writing tool warming in one’s grip ー that feeling when the ideas are pouring and the creative process ferociously unfolds. Precious resins mingle with blends of vetiver, Indonesian patchouli and spicy Akigalawood, the product refined by notes of Amber. In the symphony that is the Black Meisterstück, resins and spices serenade, as balms and aromatics croon. 

The remaining three fragrances take the Montblanc narrative that much further, each one revealing a different component of the brand’s legacy. Patchouli Ink invokes the meticulous curves and slants of ink on paper, facets of patchouli softened by veils of musk and wood. Extreme leather, a refined leather accord wrapped in iris and musky notes, recalls the luxury of Montblanc leather craftsmanship, while Vetiver Glacier, a combo of bergamot and sandalwood enhanced by the fusion of black currant and lavandin (a naturally occurring hybrid plant with a stronger and longer lasting scent) serves as a memento of the Mont Blanc mountain in all its glacial grandeur.  

In a subtly reverent twist, each bottle is interpretive of Montblanc’s signature design codes. The black lacquer cap is stamped with the brand’s emblematic star, and the metal strip along the side of the bottle recalls the Meisterstück’s own iconic clip. 

The Montblanc fragrance collection is available at Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Montblanc.