A lot of people make the claim that water is tasteless. But there are others, including myself, who are in total disagreement with that claim.
Water is by far my favourite drink and I consume a minimum of three litres a day. It is only natural therefore that over the years I have become adept at differentiating between brands. I can honestly tell the difference between water that tastes like rust, plastic or metal and have been known to request specific brands at restaurants. If I’m ignored and one that is not to my liking is brought over, I send it back.
The trick to determining whether you’re drinking a fine quality bottle of water is to drink it at room temperature. Once cold you can drink almost anything and they pretty much taste the same – that goes for tap water too!
However, like everything else it all comes down to personal preference, with packaging and price playing a major role in whether a product ends up in your shopping basket.
AB Water
Of all the bottles of water I was dreading trying this the most. I was convinced it would be the worst of the bunch. The bottle was just so unappealing and as for the label… However this was a classic case of judging a book by its cover. In fact I was pleasantly surprised to find it had one of the mildest tastes and was the cheapest of the lot.
Price: 15 cents for 50ml
Rating: four
Loutraki
I’m completely surprised to admit that I actually quite enjoyed the taste of this one. I used to hate it because it had a really strong taste of metals. Either my taste buds have changed or this natural spring water has changed its flavour.
Price: 19 cents for 50ml
Rating: three
Saint Nicholas
This is my favourite. It is the most refreshing and smoothest tasting. It’s easy to drink, with no metal aftertaste, and just the bottle you want by the side of your bed as you reach out in the middle of the night to quench your thirst.
Price: 17 cents for 50ml
Rating: five
Agros
My least favourite, although I recognise many would disagree with me. Personally I find it has a very strong mineral flavour and it reminds me of tap water – albeit top quality tap water. Although drinkable when it’s straight from the fridge, it’s definitely not my number one choice.
Price: 17 cents for 50 ml
Rating: two
Kykkos
Not my favourite, but not the worst of the bunch. It’s actually got a funny aftertaste; almost sweet. Other than that though the bottle is really easy to squash down before throwing away so doesn’t take up much room in your bin, which is a plus. Although I wouldn’t go out of my way looking to buy a bottle of this brand, if I were stuck in a dessert and desperate for a drink of water I’d definitely open up a bottle.
Price: 16 cents for 50ml
Rating: 2.5
Avra
There’s nothing really distinct about the taste of this brand. It’s just a very smooth, subtle drink that is easy to gulp down in a couple of swigs. It would be one of my top choices after Saint Nicholas. It also comes in a rather nice bottle, which is always important because there’s nothing worse than having to endure the torturous sight of an ugly bottle on your dining table.
Price: 16 cents for 50ml
Rating: Four
Evian
This brand is in a class of its own. It is water at its purest and tastes like you’re drinking straight from its source in the French Alps. It’s not only one of my favourites but anyone who drinks it comments on its quality. Its refreshingly smooth taste is extremely addictive and makes drinking the daily two litre requirement a pleasure. However it doesn’t come cheap and I find it hard to justify the extra cost.
Price: at 46 cents per 50ml bottle
Rating: four
