Highland Spring
Highland Spring is sourced from land in the Ochil Hills near Blackford, Perthshire, Scotland. The water percolates through layers of sandstone and basalt over an estimated 15 years before extraction via boreholes up to 150 metres deep. The source land covers 2,500 acres and is certified organic. Highland Spring is classified as spring water. The brand is privately owned by Mahdi al-Tajir; bottling takes place at the Blackford facility.
Mineral composition
| mg/L | |
|---|---|
| Calcium | 41 |
| Magnesium | 10 |
| Sodium | 6 |
| Sulfate | 5 |
| Chloride | 6 |
| Bicarbonate | 150 |
Compositions can vary by season and source. Read our methodology.
Mineral character
Highland Spring is a moderately soft water with a clean, low-sodium profile. Bicarbonate is the highest ion at 150 mg/L, with calcium at 40.5 mg/L and magnesium at 10.1 mg/L giving a total hardness of 143 mg/L as CaCO₃. Sulphate (5.3 mg/L), chloride (6.1 mg/L), and sodium (5.6 mg/L) are all notably low. TDS is approximately 170 mg/L. The profile is similar in character to Volvic (soft, low sodium, bicarbonate-led) but at roughly double the mineral concentration.
Documented use and context
Bella Barista, a UK specialty coffee equipment retailer, includes Highland Spring’s stablemate Tesco Ashbeck and Volvic in its water recommendations for espresso machines, alongside Waitrose Essential. The recommendation is based on these waters falling within an acceptable hardness range for machine safety and extraction quality. Highland Spring itself is not named in this specific recommendation but shares a similar profile.
Use-case suitability
- CoffeeNot used in any current coffee recipe, but hardness 143 mg/L sits within the 9–266 mg/L range typical for these targets.
- TeaNot used in any current tea recipe. Hardness 143 mg/L is above the 37–59 mg/L range of these targets.
- BrewingNot used in any current brewing recipe, but hardness 143 mg/L sits within the 26–922 mg/L range typical for these targets.
- BakingNot used in any current baking recipe, but hardness 143 mg/L sits within the 46–390 mg/L range typical for these targets.
- AquariumAppears in blends for Caridina Shrimp.
- HorticultureNot used in any current horticulture recipe. Hardness 143 mg/L is above the 12–54 mg/L range of these targets.
Used in these recipes
Where to buy
UK
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons
£0.42-0.67 per litre
Highland Spring is the UK’s best-selling bottled water by value. It is stocked by all major UK supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons) at approximately £0.40–0.70 for 1.5 L (as of March 2026). Sold in still and sparkling formats across a range of sizes. Availability outside the UK is limited.