Only barbarians admit they don’t enjoy the taste of water. I’m one of them. Sure, I’ll drink it in the middle of the night, after I’ve awoken aggressively parched and desperate for a swig of anything, but when given the choice between water and any other beverage, I choose, uh, flavor?
Any flavor, really. I’m drawn to fruity seltzers and I have a bad Coke Zero habit, but recently I’ve been sipping beverages that taste like roses. Look, I’m just as confused as you are as to why a scent tastes so delicious; it just does. And yet, rose-water bottles are inconvenient: You need to buy packs upon packs on the internet, and each bottle runs around $6. That’s why Cilk rose extract is so extraordinary.
Cilk Rose Water is an Australian company that sells one thing, and one thing alone: rose-water extract. Unlike bulky rose-water bottles, Cilk is tiny, made of glass, and — dare I say — chic? From its stunted bottleneck, you can shake droplets of the extract into any drink for a rosy refreshment — I’ve found that two or three drops is all I need. And once that’s done, the water takes on a pink hue that looks glamorous. You may think that a water supplement can’t be glamorous, but here we are.
The taste is not exactly rose-rose, but softer and smoother. You can likely chalk that up to the extract’s minor ingredients, which include a hint of hibiscus and vanilla. Of course, being flavorful and pretty is easy, but Cilk claims the extract is also healthy. Apparently, rose is replete with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that make the engines of your insides run smoother. Perhaps that’s true. But what I can say for sure is that this elegant little bottle has lasted for months, and I’m drinking more water than ever. I’m a fancy barbarian now.
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