By Franz Scheurer
If you are, you’re showing your age. Mind you, the reason I thought about this is that I tasted many different drinking waters in my lifetime and come to the conclusion that, as in oils, waters ain’t waters, too.
Generally, I don’t like still water. I much prefer sparkling mineral water and will generally even prefer straight soda water to a still mineral water. Much to my surprise, however, I absolutely adore two still waters I have tried today.
The first one is called ‘Fiji Natural Artesian Water’ and comes in a 1 litre plastic bottle. This is tropical rainwater, naturally filtered by a journey taking years through volcanic rock on Viti Levu, being collected deep beneath the volcanic highlands where it falls. It tastes minerally with an almost ‘sweet’ note to it and is really quite superb.
The other one is Simon Johnson’s brand Pure Australian Rainwater from King Island. It’s bottled in glass (750ml) with a screw cap top. It is collected 75km from the station that records world atmospheric changes, situated there because it is thought to be the cleanest air in the world. The label states: clean air equals clean water and the taste test certainly agrees. This is very clean water. Unlike distilled water it still must contain some trace elements, as it is not totally tasteless. It is, so far, the best still water I have found in Australia to enhance a good single malt.
Both waters are available from Simon Johnson and they are well worth the price.
For more information contact:
Simon Johnson Purveyor of Quality Foods
Pyrmont: 02 9552 2522
Castle Crag: 02 9967 9411
Woollahra: 02 9328 6888
Waterloo Warehouse: 02 9319 6122