Harrods, the iconic London department store, has a new product on its shelves: a bottle of "luxury water" retailing at £80 ($130), harvested from icebergs in the Arctic Ocean.
Until the 17 February, 750ml bottles of Svalbarði Polar Iceberg Water will be available to purchase in Harrods' Food Hall.
The brand's founder, Norwegian-American businessman Jamal Qureshi, said he founded the brand after collecting melt water from the Norwegian territory of Svalbard in 2013 as a gift for his wife.
Whimsical and selfless
"Four years later," the company said in a statement, "the whimsical, selfless thought has transformed into an epicurean product, which is redefining the very notion of drinking water."
Once 15 tonnes of ice is gathered, it is melted and bottled by hand in order to "capture the water in its purest form." Each trip yields 13,000 bottles.
Qureshi now collects batches of the water by chartering an icebreaker with the permission of the Governor of Svalbard and travelling to the icebergs of Kongsfjorden, which is 1000km from the North Pole.
The brand said in a statement that the water has an "exceptionally light mouthfeel" with a "unique terroir — perfect for pairing with fine foods."
What does it taste like?
It added: "The craft product is said to have the 'taste of snow in air' and evoke recollections of 'snowflakes on the tongue.'"
"The fine water is a sophisticated alternative to alcohol, and enriches culinary experiences," the statement said.
The company says the harvesting process is sustainable as "the ice [that] is extracted would otherwise melt into the sea." It added that the packaging is sustainable, and that it is involved with various initiatives against global warming.
Svalbarði Polar Iceberg Water may seem expensive, but the company said this is "because of the skilled extraction process needed to obtain this pure water and the exclusivity of the product."
This story first appeared in Business Insider. Read it here or follow BusinessInsider Australia on Facebook.