Water Reviews: Acqua Panna (1L Bottle)
Size: 1 liter glass bottle
Rating: four drops (out of five)
Review: I know that "panna" in Italian means "cream." And while this water does not taste like cream per se, it is pretty damned smooth and refreshing. What I like about this water is it's suave, refined, alkaline mouth-feel that leaves the merest hint of a chalkiness on the teeth.
Chilled at standard refrigerator temperature of 38F (3.3C) it becomes so refreshingly innocuous, you hardly know it was there. Like a pleasant visitor on a summer Saturday afternoon, with whom you share a brief and pleasant conversation, who uplifts and charms you, but whom, when she is gone, fades quickly out of memory in spite of your attempts to recall anything about her...some detail that will bring the experience back to the forefront of your mind.
Thus...the only solution is to open another bottle and re-create the experience. Was Acqua Panna really that good, you may ask? Well...everything Italian is good. Am I biased. Yes. But...if you are looking for something to drink with your espresso, so as to hydrate and refresh yourself while you're caffeinating, or as something to keep chilled in the fridge for that special occasion when tap water just will not cut it -- maybe as a compliment to a favorite dish, or as a sprinkle in some fine bourbon, scotch, or even a Campari (better) -- then this is your thing.
This is not a water that takes center stage, but rather a clear, full, clean, refreshingly alkaline water that tastes natural and free of chemicals and -- above all -- will make you feel cool when buying it and drinking it.
Best drunk al fresco, in a glass, alongside an espresso (in a ceramic cup and saucer), on the patio of your favorite espresso bar, on a balmy day in high June, with your best sunglasses on and a copy of Bocaccio's Decameron or Dante's Inferno in front of you, in Italian. Even if and especially if you can't read Italian.
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