- You say it tastes like stone in the water? That’s the real mineral taste
- Global Food Market
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I took a sip of water, and it tastes salty.
It has a somewhat metallic taste, and also a strange flavor as if it had licked a stone.
It seems quite far from what we usually think of as “good water.”
I think the advantage of bottled water is that it’s clean and smooth with no taste.
However, in the recent U.S. beverage market, naturally mineral water with a strong taste is gaining attention as a new option.
At the end of August, Serious Eats featured Borjomi in Georgia, Vichy Catalan in Spain,
We introduced water that, like Armenia’s Jermuk, has the characteristic mineral saltiness and a full-bodied flavor.
Meanwhile, Borjomi is expanding sales through premium distribution networks in New York and Los Angeles, USA,
We are also expanding distribution throughout the United States through Amazon.
Have they started judging “taste” while choosing water now?
Why does water taste so salty?
Borjomi is a natural mineral water that rises through volcanic rock formations in Georgia’s Caucasus region.
Its mineral content is exceptionally high, at around 5,000–7,500 mg per liter.
That gives it a distinctly salty, alkaline character compared with lighter, more neutral bottled waters. Some people may even describe its flavor as reminiscent of stone or metal.
In fact, not all water tastes the same.
As water moves through layers of soil and rock, it absorbs minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium. The specific combination and concentration of these minerals can affect everything from saltiness and bitterness to body and finish.
In the past, these flavors might have been perceived as unwanted “off-notes.”
Now, however, they can become part of a product’s identity:
“This water tastes this way because of where it comes from.”
It’s not so different from how coffee is discussed in terms of origin, or wine in terms of vineyards and terroir.
Do more minerals mean tastier?
There is one twist here.
Just because strongly flavored mineral water is gaining attention doesn’t mean that the more minerals it contains, the more consumers like it.
A 2026 study published in the Journal of Sensory Studies compared water with different mineral contents.
A small amount of minerals helped enhance the freshness of the water and its body, but,
When it became too strong, the salty, metallic, and astringent sensations grew stronger, and consumer preference actually declined.
In other words, even in water, what mattered was less how much was contained and more how well it created a balance of flavors.
This story is also quite interesting from the perspective of someone developing a drink.
Even in the category that was originally thought to have almost no flavor, like water
Now, the combination of minerals, the finish, and the weight you feel in your mouth can be factors in distinguishing products.
Now even water becomes an experience of “drinking a glass.”
Have you ever tried choosing a drink at an expensive restaurant?
It may still feel a little unfamiliar to us, but overseas, a “water menu” is emerging—one that takes into account the origin of the water, its mineral composition, and even the texture you feel in your mouth.
It’s about seeing premium water not just as a product for quenching your thirst, but as a beverage to enjoy alongside food.
Even in a sober setting, this characteristic is quite appealing.
There’s a difference in experience between just placing a bottle of plain water on the table and slowly drinking water with carbonation and a distinct mineral taste with food.
In fact, even in the premium bottled water market, things like origin, minerals, functionality, and packaging
Elements that create a “reason beyond water” are being used to differentiate products.
Global Market Insights states that the global premium bottled water market is
It is projected to grow from approximately $41.2 billion in 2025 to about $78.8 billion in 2035.
As a result, water, like carbonated drinks or coffee, too
I’m gradually shifting into the category of choosing, “What should I drink today?”
Is expensive and mineral-rich better water?
Here, we need to draw a line once.
There is no basis for mineral-rich or expensive water being superior to ordinary safe water for hydration.
It’s true that the minerals in water can make a real difference in taste, but a high mineral content, alkalinity, or a distinctive source does not automatically mean superior health benefits.
WIRED likewise explains that it is more appropriate to view the value of premium mineral water in terms of differences in taste and the dining experience, rather than health benefits.
Borjomi, too, has been actively promoting gut health as part of its expansion into the U.S. market.
However, it is important to distinguish between the brand’s marketing messages and what can actually be said about the taste of the water itself.
What’s more interesting is that the change worth paying attention to may be happening somewhere else.
In the past, we tended to think that noticeable flavor in water was a drawback.
Today, that same flavor can become a characteristic that tells us where the water comes from.
Will the era of seeking completely tasteless water come to an end?
Of course, it is still too early to say that American consumers have suddenly started seeking salty water.
Borjomi’s expanding distribution in the U.S. and the recent media attention are certainly notable, but strong mineral flavors can still be highly polarizing. Research has also shown that excessively intense mineral flavors can reduce consumer preference.
Even so, it is quite interesting to see how the way we talk about water is gradually changing.
The criteria for choosing water used to stop at whether it was clean or smooth.
Now, where it comes from, what minerals it contains, and what kind of taste and texture it has are starting to become part of the conversation.
Could there come a day when, just as we choose coffee beans at a café or wine at a restaurant, we order water by flavor?
“I’ll have something a little heavier and saltier, please.”
When we stop and think about the fact that we have traditionally wanted water to have no taste at all,
the definition of ‘good-tasting water’ may turn out to be much broader than we think.
🧡 Three-Line Summary
In the U.S., naturally mineral-rich waters with salty and pronounced mineral flavors are recently gaining attention as a new drinking experience.
The minerals in water can change its taste and body, but more minerals do not necessarily mean better taste or better health benefits.
Even in the bottled-water market, there are signs that origin and taste itself, not just “cleanliness,” could become part of a product’s identity.
📌 Sources
Is Water That Tastes Like Salty Rocks the Next "It" Beverage?
BORJOMI ENTERS THE U.S. AT SCALE — PUTTING GUT HEALTH FRONT AND CENTER
Sensory Characteristics and Consumer Acceptability of Mineral Water
Is Expensive Bottled Water Actually Better for You?
Premium Bottled Water Market Size, Forecasts Report 2026-2035
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