Belfast’s luxe Merchant Hotel features one of the world’s most impressive cocktail menus, with some creations hitting the thousand-dollar price range. For the past decade, the five-star boutique hotel has also crafted a ritzy water menu boasting the planet’s most lavish H20s.
They even employ a water sommelier, Martin Riese.
The most exquisite selection on his 13-bottle menu is a 750-ml sample of melted Canadian iceberg, which is available for $54. And you thought FIJI water at Starbucks was an investment.
The bottle’s prestigious contents are harvested from icebergs floating off the coast of Newfoundland and apparently feature a velvety, fruity taste; another Canadian selection on the menu, De l’Aubier from Quebec, is harvested from the water produced by maple trees and sells for $31/750-ml bottle.
“Water is not just water,” profoundly quips water sommelier Riese. “I think water should be treated way more seriously, because water is the most important beverage on the plant.”
To what avail charging half a bill for a bottle of a water will achieve is unclear.
“Just like wine, the location where water is produced will impact on its taste and flavour,” says Merchant General Manager Gavin Carroll. These flavours can range from lemon to coconut and are meticulously sourced to complement cuisine by playing to all parts of one’s palate.
Think about that the next time you order tap water at a restaurant.
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