Top Pick Of The Week

January 6, 2009
Updated November 2009

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Clove-Ginger

Organic-certified flavored water, infused with herbs, spices and some citrus, are a smash!

WHAT IT IS: Unsweetened bottled water flavored with herbs and spices.
WHY IT’S DIFFERENT: Beyond the herb and spice flavors, it’s the first national line of flavored water that’s organically-certified.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The sophisticated infusions of lavender, lemongrass, thyme and jasmine elevate flavored water to a new level.
WHERE TO BUY IT: HerbalWater.com and retailers nationwide, including Central Market, Food Emporium, Giant, HEB, Raley’s, Safeway, Wegmans, Whole Foods Market and many natural food and specialty food stores.
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Ayala’s Herbal Water
Page 2: Flavors of Herbal Water


This is Page 2 of a three-page review. Click on the black links below to visit other pages.

INDEX OF REVIEW

MORE TO DISCOVER

 

What’s In The Water?

Organic herbs, organic vanilla extract, are infused into artesian well water, which has been purified. Just because something is “spring water” or “mineral water” doesn’t mean it is contaminant-free. In fact, proponents of tap water point out that the American municipal tap water supply is monitored several times daily and guaranteed to be safe, whereas bottled water sellers are self-monitoring and required to do an annual analysis—but not required to report the results.

After Ayala’s well water is drawn, it is purification process, which includes filtration, ultraviolet light and reverse osmosis. The company points out that this makes it cleaner and more pure than tap water.

Flavors Of Ayala’s Herbal Water

There’s a flavor for every mood and food.

  • Cinnamon Orange Peel. Tart orange peel and spicy cinnamon give this flavor an exotic pizzazz. You feel as if you could turn it into a cocktail with a splash of gin!
  • Clove, Cardamom Cinnamon. You’d think with this combination that it would taste like chai tea, but with its lightness, it’s more like one of our favorite bar drinks, bitters and club soda (although obviously, uncarbonated). We always thought bitters tasted like ginger; now, we see that there’s a lot of cinnamon in there, too. This water pairs well with lamb, pork, chicken and anything off the grill.
 

Ayala Geranium Lemon Verbena

The newest flavor, Geranium Lemon Verbena, is like drinking a garden.

  • Ginger Lemon Peel. Ginger and lemon are a great combination, as anyone who cooks with them can vouch. Both flavors work together in sweet and savory dishes—from cookies and cake to chicken, fish and lamb. They are very subtle in this water—we might have liked a tad more of each. But as a result, you can pair Ginger Lemon Peel with just about anything.
  • Lavender Mint Lemongrass Thyme. Lavender, with its elegant floral flavor, has been a favorite in culinary circles for some time (take a look at our favorite lavender hot chocolate, lavender honey, lavender maple syrup, lavender marshmallows, lavender salt caramels, lavender soda, and a recipe for lavender scones, just to name a few). Lemongrass, which is citrusy but also flowery, is a fine complement. The thyme adds some masculine sophistication, and there’s a hint of mint to round out this charming quartet.
  • Lemongrass Mint Vanilla. This is the one flavor that, for us, doesn’t work with food. The mint is too dominant; the net effect is Mint Vanilla with some lemongrass on the finish. The mint-vanilla combination is powerful; it comes off more as a substantive soft drink than as a delicate water (which is good, if you’re looking for a flavorful, calorie-free beverage).
  • Lemon Verbena Geranium. It’s like drinking the garden, in the most delightful way. The scent and flavor of geraniums is accented by lemon verbena (the favorite scent of Ellen O’Hara, mother of Scarlett).

How can you decide which flavors you’ll prefer? Fortunately, you can order a mixed case, two bottles of each flavor. You may just find that you like them all equally.

Continue To Page 3: Buy Ayala’s Online

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