2002 Australian Centre for Chemosensory Research

The following tasting was held in accordance with Australian Centre for Chemosensory Research guidelines, as supplied by South East Water. Water was tasted "blind" from odourless plastic cups and neutral, distilled water was used as a rinse between each sample. And, yes, I felt like a right wally doing it. When the tasting was completed, the bottles were revealed - just like a wine tasting.

Nobles Pureau Pure Table Water 600ml $0.89
Neutral nose; medium weight in your mouth, with a refreshing and long finish. 15/20

Vittel Natural Mineral Water 75cl $1.41
The tossy card in the pack, and while the nose and flavour were neutral, the water was heavy and dead. Not a soft water by any degree - it'd be hard to lather soap with.  13/20

Coles Natural Spring Water 600ml $0.99
A mineral smell but otherwise pretty neutral. More life and lift in your mouth than some of the serious brands. 16/20

Original Pure Water Pop Top 600ml $0.73
Minerals, rust and sulphur-like nose; these flavours continue in your mouth. A weird sweet-rust taste. 12/20

H2GO Natural Spring Water 750ml $1.29
Very neutral nose; long, tangy flavour which gives it a bit more life than some of its competitors. 16/20

Sanitarium water+fitness still mineralised water 590ml $1.22
Hint of lemon or acid; a heavy, lumpy and lifeless drink. Forget it. 13/20

Frantelle Spring Water 600ml $0.74
Some minerality on the nose; then a soft, pretty dumb palate, but a long minerally aftertaste. 15/20

Cool Ridge Still Spring Water 600ml $1.04
Odour hints at the citric; taste is dumb and flat; it's a heavy and ultimately inert drink.  13/20

Mount Franklin Still Australian Spring Water 600ml $1.61
Minerality on the nose; more mineral flavours in your mouth, but still subtle. Tangy finish. The biggest-selling water in Australia, and easy to see why. 17/20

South East Water Promotional Bottled Water 600ml Promotional
A hint of lemon to smell; then a fresh, lively and quite racy drink of water that is somewhat different from much of South East Water's tap water, but the bottle is in perfect condition, unlike so much long-distance, pipeline water. 17/20

Tap water A glass of tap water costs less than 0.1 cents
From an old house in Malvern (supplied by Yarra Valley Water). Smells of mould and chlorine. Imagine drinking water through an old hessian bag and you've got it. Unpalatable when compared to the better bottled waters. 9/20