How we choose the bottled water we sell
A short account of what we look for before a water joins the range, and what we tell you about it once it does. No secret formula: a few plain rules, applied the same way every time.
A source you can name
Most of what we carry is spring or natural mineral water drawn from a named source: Fiuggi and San Benedetto in Italy, Sant Aniol in Spain, Souroti in Greece, Tŷ Nant in Wales, Saratoga and Mountain Valley in the United States, and others.
We also stock a few purified, alkaline and flavored waters because customers ask for them. Where a water is one of those, we say so rather than dress it up as a spring.
Bottled where it rises
For spring and mineral waters, we look for water bottled at the source. It is the clearest sign that what reaches your glass is the water the label describes, not something blended or treated along the way.
When the bottler states it, we pass it on.
Taste you can tell apart
Two waters can share a shelf and taste nothing alike. Low-mineral waters feel light and almost silky; high-mineral waters carry more weight and a faintly salty or chalky finish. Carbonation ranges from a soft, fine prickle to a firm, assertive bubble.
We want the range to cover that spread, so there is a reason to choose one bottle over another. Where the bottler publishes a mineral analysis or total dissolved solids, we include it. Our guide to what TDS means explains how to read those numbers.
Sizes and cases as they really ship
The size in a product title is the size of each bottle, and the case count is the number of bottles in the box. If a water comes in 250 ml glass for the table and 1 L glass for sharing, those are separate listings, each with its own case.
Glass makes up most of the range. PET, cans and cartons appear where the bottler uses them or where glass does not suit the occasion.
Independent, with no health claims
Topline Water is an independent retailer. We are not affiliated with, authorized by or endorsed by the brands we carry, and their trademarks belong to their owners.
We describe each water by its origin, mineral content and taste. We do not claim that any water will do anything for your health.
Common questions
What is the difference between spring water and mineral water?
Both come from underground sources. Mineral water is generally defined by a steady, naturally occurring mineral content, while spring water can be lighter. Our article on spring, mineral and purified water goes into more detail.
Do you sell any purified or filtered water?
Yes, a small number, including some alkaline waters. They are listed alongside the spring and mineral waters, and the product description says what kind of water each one is.
Why is so much of the range in glass?
Glass is neutral in taste and looks right on a table, and many of the European producers we carry bottle their water in glass. We still stock PET and cans where they are the practical choice.
Can you source a water you do not currently list?
Ask us at sales@toplinewater.com. We cannot promise to add every request, but we read them, and requests do shape what we look at next.