Coventry taps into mineral wealth for UK’s tastiest water

The debate about which British region boasts the tastiest tap water has finally been settled with an unlikely winner: it comes not from “hard” northern or “soft” southern waters but from the middle of Britain – in Coventry.

A panel of judges, including Mindy Dulai from the Royal Society of Chemistry, tasted water from 10 locations across the UK and crowned Coventry’s blend of vegetal and salty water the best. While the test was not held under “rigorous scientific conditions”, samples were drawn on the same day and kept in the same bottles.

Coventry’s water was praised by the panel as having being good on the nose with a “clean light smell” and a “slightly salty” taste. Its mineral-filled aftertaste left drinkers with a drier “mouth-feel” than others. It beat Bristol’s “peppery” product; Suffolk’s simple and “unremarkable” water; and waters from Glasgow, Lancashire and North Yorkshire to claim the judges’ highest average marks.

Also highly praised was the water in Hassocks, Brighton, which was said to have a “hint of seaweed” while being fresh and light. That found in Giffnock, Glasgow, was said to be “big bodied” and “very smooth”.

Ms Dulai explained that tap waters contained minerals, including calcium and magnesium, that define whether water is hard or soft. She said that apart from water’s mineral content, dissolved gasses can also play a role in its taste. She said hard water could make drinkers experience a “chalky mouth-feel” while chlorine can leave an off-putting taste.