More than a thirst trap

Luxury water is not just about hydration. It's got taste, minerals and an origin story too. Is India ready to glug the good stuff?

- Taranna Khetpal

We were taught in school that water is colourless, tasteless and odourless. That couldn't be further from the truth, says Ganesh Iyer.

It's not just a line he throws around for drama, it's the foundation of his life's work. Iyer is 48 and has spent nearly 30 years in the beverage industry, and has been a water sommelier since 2017. There's more to the substance than two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen, science book be damned.

In Iyer's world, water can be swirled, sniffed and paired like wine. One sip, and he can tell you whether it comes from an alpine spring, an underground aquifer, or from a municipal tap. Water, like wine, tastes subtly different based on where it's been, the minerals it contains and how it's purified. Iyer has helped launch bottled-water brands such as Evian, Perrier and Himalaya. But India has had an icy reception to his work.