Ayala's Ginger Lemon Peel

Aroma: The lemon peel really shines through at first whiff, and is followed by deeper ginger overtones. It smells very fresh.

Taste: Firstly, (I've noticed this with all the flavors), the water itself tastes pure and has no trace of that bottled water or mineral water taste that I have come to despise. This flavor is very well balanced between the two main ingredients - at first you get a nice refreshing splash of lemon flavor, then right after you swallow the spicier ginger flavor comes out to play. I must say, I enjoyed the whole experience quite a bit.

Price: $2.00/bottle when purchased in a case of 12 - available through their online store. At first I thought this a bit pricey, but then I realized it includes free shipping, which can be a bear when shipping heavy beverages.

Ingredients: purified water, extracts of lemon peel and ginger root, natural herbal flavor

Other Comments: It's almost creepy how well these guys matched our drink submission requirements and our overall mission. They're a small independent company that hasn't yet been gobbled up by one of the big boys (as far as I can tell). They're locally distributed in New York City and Philadelphia markets, but they are available nationwide through their website. They have a hard-core distaste for high fructose corn syrup and anything artificial. They have a passion for healthy living. And they make some of the most interesting natural drink flavors that I've ever seen. (I'm a chef, so I got all giddy when I read about their different herb and spice-based flavors). The herb selections aren't all arbitrary, either. They have an outline of all the herbs on the label which tells you about their individual benefits.
Ayala is the name of the woman who created these drinks, and not surprisingly she is a cook and a doctor (a pediatrician, to be exact). Evidently she was looking for an alternative to sugar-laden and artificially flavored beverages. A clip from their site: "Americans are getting heavier—in fact, two-thirds of us are overweight or obese. We simply consume many more calories than we need, and a significant amount of those extra calories comes from sugar and high fructose corn syrup." Boom! Short and sweet.

Overall: Here again Ayala's has succeeded in making a tasty drink with no sweeteners, fillers, or artificial crap. As noted on the other Ayala's reviews, I am quite impressed with the company's efforts to be green, which along with their focus on health earns them extra points. I found this flavor quite refreshing, and enjoyed every second of drinking it. The best part is, it won't make you hate yourself in the morning. You can drink this to your heart's content and will only be the better for it.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

-Danithius