Taste: In Search Of … : Bottled Water
Best Buy
Lauré
Source: Johnson City, Tennessee
Availability: Whole Foods; $1.19/1.5 L.
At a recent international water-tasting in California, Lauré was deemed the best domestic bottled still springwater in the nation. Our experts agreed with the accolades, choosing this crisp, well-balanced water as their favorite. And at this price, it can’t be beat.
Excellent Waters
Fiji
Source: Viti Levu, Fiji
Availability: Whole Foods; $2.19/1.5 L.
Fiji seems to have every star chef in its pocket, based on testimonials from the likes of Charlie Trotter, who supposedly uses it to cook. It’s a bit expensive to boil pasta in, but the taste is bright and clean, with a lively mouth-feel.
Evian
Source: French Alps
Availability: Widely available; $1.99/1.5 L.
Evian sells some 1.5 billion liters each year, making it the best-selling mineral water on Earth. Our tasters found it to be fairly neutral, with a slight sweetness.
Poland Spring
Source: Maine
Availability: Widely available; $1.19/1.5 L.
This popular water has been the subject of debate in water industry circles, thanks to a settled class-action lawsuit suggesting that the water doesn’t come from a spring at all. Whatever its source, it’s well balanced, with no predominating mineral flavor.
Volvic
Source: Puy de Dôme, France
Availability: Whole Foods; $1.99/1.5 L.
Originating in a volcanic forest, this water is naturally filtered through layers of volcanic rock and sand, and therefore has a low mineral content. Its taste was described as round, lively and bright.
Better Than Tap
Trinity
Source: Paradise, Idaho
Availability: Whole Foods; $1.99/1.5 L.
This water is billed as a “Natural Mineral Supplement”; there’s so much natural silica and fluoride in it that they warn pregnant women not to drink too much. The mineral surplus causes a hardness we don’t want in our everyday water.
Iceland Spring
Source: Heidmörk, Iceland
Availability: Whole Foods; $1.79/1.5 L.
According to the bottler, Iceland Spring is a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow. But our tasters thought this water seemed heavy, with a flat body and a lingering aftertaste.
Wissahickon
Source: A variety of springs in New York and Pennsylvania
Availability: Widely available; $1.19/1.5 L.
The panel was unexcited by this fairly flat offering. Since Wissahickon gets its water from different sources, we imagine that consistency is a problem.