Does taste-testing hold any bottled water?

Featured waters

Iskilde
Country of Origin:           Denmark
Region:                        Mossø Reservation
Place Name:                 Iskilde
Established:                  2005
Source:                        Spring Water
Balance:                       Still & Light                  
Virginality:                     Superior
Minerality:                     Medium
Hardness:                     Very Hard
Orientation:                   Hint of Sweet

A discreet, elegant, and functional presentation in glass for any epicurean setting. Iskilde succeeds in transporting the sensation of drinking the water at the spring to the table.

"Iskilde" means "cold spring" in Danish. The artesian spring was discovered in the Mossø Conservation area in a remote part of the Danish lake highlands in 2001. The aquifer is 150 -180 ft below the surface and it is covered by alternating layers of quartz-sand and hard clay, protecting the water. With a temperature of below eight degrees, the spring is unusually cold.
Similar waters: Evian

Saint-Géron
Country of Origin:           France
Region:                         Auvergne
Place Name:                 Village de Saint-Géron
Source:                         Spring Water
Balance:                       Classic
Virginality:                     Superior
Minerality:                     High
Hardness:                     Very Hard
Orientation:                   Acidic
Vintage                         1,000 years
Carbonation                   Natural

A rare naturally sparkling water with the associated high Minerality and high levels of bicarbonates, said to be beneficial for digestion. The elegant glass bottle was created by painter and designer Alberto Bali.

The mineral springs of Saint. Geron in the Auvergne region of France has a long history going back to the Gallo-Roman time. The water emerges at the spring after a 1,000 year journey through the rock formation as a natural sparkling. At the end of the 19th century during work on the water collection reservoir antique wells and coins and offerings from the Gallo-Roman period were discovered at the source.
Similar waters: San Pellegrino

Vichy Catalan
Country of Origin:           Spain
Region:                         Catalonia
Place Name:                 Caldes de Malavella
Source:                         Spring Water
Balance:                       Classic
Virginality:                     Superior
Minerality:                     Very High
Hardness:                     Hard
Orientation:                   Alkaline
Carbonation                   Natural

The best-known mineral water from Spain, Vichy Catalan has very high mineral content, natural carbonation, and an almost neutral pH.

Archaeological evidence suggests the area near Caldes de Malavella has had a human population since prehistoric times. The many local sources of effervescent, thermal water were likely a major attraction. Both springs draw from a single aquifer, though each water emerges with slightly different compositions. Vichy Catalan water was first bottled in 1889, and an influx of visitors led to the construction of a spa soon after. Water and carbon dioxide gas are harvested separately from the source, which is capped to control the output; after the water has cooled from 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60°C), the gas is added back in.
Similar waters: Apollinaris, Gerolsteiner

Tasmanian Rain
Country of Origin:           Australia
Region:                         Tasmania
Place Name:                 Table Cape
Source:                         Rain
Balance:                       Still      
Virginality:                     Superior
Minerality:                     Super Low
Hardness:                     Soft
Orientation:                   Acidic
Vintage                         Very Young

Soft and neutral rain water in glass, perfect for the most subtle dishes or exclusive ice cubes.

Tasmanian Rain is rainwater is captured on the pristine north west coast of the island of Tasmania. The water is collected just minutes of where the World Meteorological Organization records the world's purest air. The rain is collected by a custom-designed catchment facility and collected in stainless steel tanks and shipped to the USA where it is bottled to minimize the carbon footprint.
Similar waters: Cape Grim, Cloud Juice (rain waters) and berg (iceberg water) or Le Bleu

Fiji
Country of Origin:           Fiji
Region:                         Viti Levu
Place Name:                 Nakauvadra Mountains
Source:                         Artesian
Balance:                       Still      
Virginality:                     Superior
Minerality:                     Low
Hardness:                     Moderately Hard
Orientation:                   Hint of Sweet
Vintage                         450 years

A low mineral content water, high in silica, with a possible sweet perception and an overall smooth sensation.

Before it reaches the aquifer on Viti Levu, Fiji water begins as rain falling on the island's highlands and tropical forests. Volcanic rock filters the rainwater, and the remoteness of the island ensures that it is uncontaminated by artificial substances. The water was first sold in the United States in 1997 and its great success can be attributed to a celebrity-oriented marketing campaign and the appealing bottle.
Similar water: Panna

Dasani
Dasani is a purified municipal water, enhanced with minerals. It comes in light blue-tinted, recyclable bottles. Dasani is The Coca-Cola Company's first bottled water in North America. To create Dasani, Coca-Cola bottlers start with the local water supply, which is then filtered for purity using reverse osmosis. The purified water is then enhanced with a special blend of minerals.
Similar waters: Tap water or filtered tap water

For more information on bottled water, please visit www.finewaters.com.

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