Issue #418 What Happened When I Became Head Judge of the First Water Choice Awards?

There are certain moments in your career when you pause and think, “Wow, I really get to do this.” Traveling to New York City to serve as Head Judge for The Daily Pour’s inaugural Water Choice Awards was one of those moments for me. I have attended water tastings, evaluated waters from around the world, worked with incredible natural water brands, and spent years encouraging people to take water more seriously. But this was different. This was my first opportunity to lead an entire competition centered on water—and I was determined to make every glass count. More than 50 brands participated in the first Water Choice Awards, bringing together an impressive range of still, sparkling, mineral, spring, artesian, and naturally carbonated waters. That variety was exciting, but it also created a serious responsibility. Every brand had trusted us with its water, its story, and its reputation. Our job was to evaluate what was actually in the glass.

No Labels, No Marketing Just Water

Every entry was tasted blind. The judges did not know the brand name, recognize the packaging, or see the country of origin before scoring it. That detail matters. Beautiful glass bottles, dramatic source stories, famous restaurants, clever marketing, and premium price tags can all shape how we expect a water to taste. Blind tasting removes those outside influences. A familiar label cannot earn extra points, and an unfamiliar brand cannot be underestimated.The water has to speak for itself.  We evaluated and discussed every water presented to the panel. Each judge considered qualities such as minerality, balance, aroma, carbonation, mouthfeel, structure, and finish. We also paid attention to whether a water felt harmonious. A highly mineralized water was not automatically “better” than a delicate one, and a bold sparkling water was not judged by the same sensory expectations as a soft still water. The goal was not to find one flavor profile that every water should imitate. It was to recognize waters that expressed their own character exceptionally well. After tasting, every judge recorded scores and wrote feedback for the participating brand still without knowing its identity. That meant the comments were based on the sensory experience alone. Each brand received more than a number; it received thoughtful observations from professionals with very different relationships to water, food, hospitality, wellness, and beverage culture.

Five Judges, Five Different Perspectives

One of the things that made this competition special was the range of experience represented at the judging table. We were not five people trained to think and taste in exactly the same way. We brought distinct backgrounds to the glass.

As Head Judge, I guided the tasting process and helped create a common language for our discussions. As a certified water sommelier and co-founder of Salacious Drinks, I naturally approached each entry through its source, mineral composition, texture, finish, and place at the dining table. I also wanted the panel to have room to disagree. A great tasting should create conversation, not demand that everyone have the same opinion.

Preston Boyer is the founder of Liquid Life Wellness Water. He brought a wellness-oriented perspective to the panel, considering how water’s mineral character, structure, and drinking experience can fit into a broader conversation about hydration and everyday well-being.

Cameron Smith is a certified water sommelier, Tea Master, and Maître du Fromage at The Inn at Little Washington. His experience with water, tea, cheese, and fine dining gave him an especially layered sensory vocabulary. Cameron could consider how a water performed independently while also imagining how its minerality and texture might interact with food.

Laura Silverman is the founder of Zero Proof Nation, a global platform devoted to nonalcoholic beverages and the culture surrounding them. She brought the perspective of a beverage advocate, writer, community builder, and experienced competition judge. Laura understands that an alcohol-free drink should never feel like an afterthought—and water deserves that same level of attention, inclusion, and respect. Learn more about Laura and Zero Proof Nation.

Estelle Bossy is a New York-based beverage director, sommelier, educator, and consulting mixologist with extensive experience developing beverage programs across fine dining, hotels, and major hospitality groups. Her background allowed her to evaluate water not only as a standalone beverage but as an important part of a complete dining experience. Learn more about Estelle’s hospitality career.

Together, we represented water expertise, wellness, hospitality, culinary pairing, zero-proof culture, and beverage program development. That diversity was the point. The competition demonstrated what happens when people with different professional backgrounds give water their full attention.

Yes, I Paired Food With Every Tasting

Of course, I could not lead a water-tasting event without bringing food into the conversation. For every flight, I offered pairing guidance to help demonstrate how mineral content, carbonation, acidity, and mouthfeel influence what happens at the table. Water does not simply sit quietly beside a plate. The right water can refresh the palate, soften richness, complement saltiness, support delicate flavors, or provide contrast. A crisp sparkling water can cut through a rich or creamy dish. A softer, low-mineral still water may protect the subtleties of seafood or fresh produce. A full-bodied mineral water can stand confidently beside aged cheese, roasted meats, or deeply seasoned foods. Pairing food with water also gave the judges another way to understand each entry. We were not trying to alter the scores with food; the waters were judged on their own. Instead, the pairings helped us explore where each water might shine after its independent evaluation was complete. And honestly, I wanted everyone in that room to leave knowing that water deserves a place in pairing conversations alongside wine, tea, coffee, and cocktails.

More Than an Awards Competition

We had a great time in New York, but the Water Choice Awards were also serious work. We tasted carefully, debated respectfully, revisited glasses when necessary, and gave every entry the consideration it deserved. For me, serving as Head Judge was both exciting and emotional. I was the lead lady at an event built entirely around water! After years of explaining that water has taste, texture, terroir, minerality, and personality, I had the chance to help lead a competition that put those ideas into practice. I was proud of the judging panel. I was proud of the blind-tasting process. And I was proud that more than 50 brands were willing to place their waters in front of us without labels or marketing  And this Head Judge was very happy to help everyone taste it.was proud of the judging panel. I was proud of the blind-tasting process.