London store only sells luxury water, with bottles costing up to £120
Fine Liquids sells more than 100 varieties of water
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Your support makes all the difference.A new shop which only sells bottles of expensive water has opened in London.
Fine Liquids, situated in Fulham, stocks hundreds of bottles of natural water, costing up to £120 per bottle.
The store is run by water sommelier Milin Patel, who believes that no two types of water in the world taste the same.
The cheapest bottle starts at £2.50, with water sources from places as far away as Australia.
Patel, 40, is now on a mission to educate the public about different types of water and is offering watering tasting courses.
“I call myself the Willy Wonka of natural water. I’ve always had a deep passion for water – it’s my life and I want to show others how to appreciate it,” he said.
“There are so many different factors that make a water unique – different temperatures and levels of minerals change its taste and how it feels in your mouth.
“There is no single best water in the world but it’s my job to find the perfect one for you.”
Patel said he hopes he can help people learn to appreciate different waters the way they appreciate wine.
Fine Liquids currently stocks more than 100 types of water from different natural sources across the world, including springs and rain pools.
All water is sold in glass bottles, with plastic bottles banned in the shop.
The varying flavours are a result of different levels of calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate, which “all create a different taste and feel in the mouth”, Patel explained.
“When it comes to water tasting, you have to let your senses truly experience it – it’s more than just the taste.
“Trying the different types of water will help you work out your personal preference. For example, a water with high silica levels has a very velvety mouth feel.
“Water with high levels of magnesium will have a slightly sweet, metallic taste.”
The most expensive water sold by Fine Liquids is APSU Origin Water from Patagonia, which retails for £120 per 750ml bottle.
This water comes from a free-flowing glacier in the Gran Campo Nevado in Subantarctic Chilean Patagonia.
Patel said the water is a perfect conversation starter for a dinner party.
“With these higher-priced waters, when you tell people about them, they stop and listen,” he said.
“People buy bottles like these for things like dinner parties and telling guests about the water starts a beautiful dialogue. It really makes it memorable.”
Despite his passion for luxury waters, Patel is far from anti-tap water.
“My personal view as a water consultant is that we are very lucky to have and drink tap water,” he said.
“We should all drink tap water, or filtered tap water, for hydration, and drink glass-bottled water like a fine wine, or a sweet treat.”
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