Following Footsteps ….Selecting fine waters in Berlin

Inspired by @MartinRiese’s visit to the KaDeWe department store in Berlin, I decided to give it a try. I thought that for sure I would be met by a larger variety then I would find in Myanmar.

I took the opportunity to create tasting notes about waters I have never experienced. Germany is a great country to try new waters with hundreds and hundreds of different springs. Trying water will expand your palette and give a greater understanding on the diversity of water brands.

In this blog post I would like to give you further tips on what to look for when selecting that special bottle of water, what are great finds and what are some of the risks when being faced with new, unknown waters. You also find will come across bad finds which are not so much fine waters, but rather more like fake news.

Below is a selection of waters you can find in one of the largest department stores in Berlin, the ‘Kaufhaus des Westens’ – the department store of the West, one of Berlin’s most luxurious malls. Up on the 6th floor is the fabled Food and Drink section and the water area did not disappoint me. Here are some of my finds:

Evian  – Chiara Ferragni Limited Edition (France)

Evian is a water known all over the world. You can can get it in almost every fine restaurant around the world. What makes this brand special is that it has become more then just a water, but a way of life. I always enjoy seeing Evian travel waters at the airport with different city themed water bottles.

At KaDeWe I found a wonderful glass bottle designed by Chiara Ferragni, the famous fashion icon from Italy. It is a great example to take a well known water (you can’t go wrong with the taste) and add a wonderful visual experience to your dinner table. For sure it will be catching the eyes of your dinner guests and you can present a wonderful story as part of your dinner experience. A water does not have to be a glass of water but can also come with a story.

Sonnenstein – Hexagonal Primary water (Germany)

This water is a good example that a brand’s story sometimes can go too far or simply is wrong. Some water brands are eager to enter the fine water market and will present you with a story which sounds good. Sonnenstein, which comes in a pretty and elegant water bottle, claims to be a hexagonal water, where the molecules are aligned to provide extra health benefits.

Be cautious when a water brand tries to present health benefits, because mostly they are not true. Minerals in water will provide you benefits but be cautious if specific health claims are listed. Water is for wellness, hydration and enjoyment. The brand will present you a ‘scientific’ explanation and will charge a premium for their health claims, which are almost always unfounded. Same goes for Alkanine water which is not much more than a marketing scam.

Healsi (Portugal)

When I explored the waters at KaDeWe this one popped out right away. The water comes in three different colors; white, blue and pink in an amazing, diamond shaped bottle.

The water has a low TDS of 189 but interestingly has a high silica content. We mostly know silica from Fiji water and it gives water a smooth and elegant taste people like so much. Healsi is another good example.

The water has a smooth and soft mouthfeel with a very round taste. I love these waters which are pleasant to drink and easy to remember.

Nevas Water Cuveé (Germany)

When I first noticed that bottle in the store, I thought a champagne bottle had been misplaced on the shelf. Nevas Water brands itself as a luxury table water as a Cuvee. For me, it’s a great example that it does not always have to be a fancy champagne for a special occasion. Nevas would be perfect for any special occasion.

When you pour Nevas into a glass you instantly notice the strong and bold bubbles like you would see in a Perrier or in a Gerolsteiner sparkling water. The taste is impressive. The intensity of the bubbles creates an energetic dance around the tongue. I loved the vibrancy and the uplifting feeling during the tasting, which is quite unique. It’s a pricey but worthwhile water for a special occasion.

Vai Wai (Fiji)

We mostly know water from Fiji as ‘Fiji Water’. While it is widely available around the world as a mega brand and very popular, it is only one of the waters available in Fiji. I was curious to try another brand and to see how it matches up to the well known Fiji water. My first impression was the wonderful bottle and I was pleased to learn that the bottle is biodegradable.

Vai Wai has a crisp and initial impression. I found it special as it has an elevating high note at the finish. It quickly wraps around the tongue leading to a pleasant finish.  

I hope these water selections have inspired you to visit a water section in a store nearby and select a water for your next dinner or occasion with friends and family. There is so much to explore and to be gained by learning more about these fascinating waters.

Stay thirsty!

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