‘It's About Taste Not Thirst'

Thirst’ Water sommelier Candice Jansen believes restaurants should have water menus and that each bottle is unique

- Jacques Myburgh

She holds the glass at eye level, stares intently at the liquid then swirls it and takes a sip.

“Can you taste it?” she asks. “The creaminess and the strong presence of minerals?”

You might think this is a wine-tasting, but it’s not. The liquid Candice Jansen (33) is sampling isn’t an expensive Bordeaux – it’s water.

Candice is the first water sommelier in Africa and there’s almost nothing she doesn’t know about the precious liquid. To her, a good bottle of water is just as important an accompaniment to a good meal as a fine wine – and like the best nectar of the gods, a bottle of the clear stuff can set you back a pretty penny too.

“The less pricy waters are usually a table water you can enjoy with friends. Then you get more sought-after water such as Svalbardi, a Norwegian iceberg water, that costs around R2500.”

There’s water for every occasion, for every meal and for every person, she adds.