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ELIXIUM – an unforgettable rejuvenating experience, a special blend of one of the purest waters in England and two forms of… gold! You may be surprised, but drinking the freshest water from the Malvern Hills, (which was once enjoyed exclusively by the Royals) with the real 24 carat gold in it is… something truly special. And it makes you feel a bit like a Royalty yourself!
Estate & Manor Magazine have been lucky to have a chat with the brand’s Co-Founding Director of Product Development Nicholas Turner and the Co-Founding Chief Executive Officer Jesse S. Jarvis. The story behind Elixium turned out to be absolutely fascinating! Here is what they told us:
“ELIXIUM is what we like to call a Haute Rafraichissement. This means ‘higher refreshment’ and reflects its qualities very well. Gold is entirely edible due to its nature of being biologically inert. This means that there is no adverse reaction between gold and the human body. ELIXIUM is for those who take pride in their well-being physically and mentally. The exceptionally pure waters of the Malvern Hills and the Gold within are Nature’s Gift and History’s Secret…Rediscovered and delivered by us.
We must stress that we cannot present ELIXIUM or the Gold to have any medical properties. Also, due to the addition of the gold, under UK legislation we cannot advertise ELIXIUM as either a Spring or Mineral Water, which it technically is. We therefore fall under the category of ‘Enhanced Water’ but prefer the term Haute Rafraichissement.
The gold used for ELIXIUM comes in the form of Colloidal Gold and Gold Flake. The solution we use is a deep rose pink, but due to the dilution of water the hue is almost imperceptible. Gold Flake is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets by gold beating and is often used for gilding.
The history of Gold is most well reported as a precious metal and a symbol of wealth, but it has also been associated with well-being and health as well. Due to the strict regulations we cannot make or hint at any medical claims of gold, but we can share the long tradition of how gold has been used by multiple cultures and ancient civilisations around the world in the firm belief that it was beneficial to not only body, but mind and spirit, and in some cases essential to health.
Egyptians believed the healing powers of gold could cure all manner of physical, mental and spiritual ailments. Romans used gold preparations for treatment of skin lesions and sores. It is believed that Cleopatra wore pure gold for a radiant complexion. In ancient Chinese medicine, gold was the secret to youthful skin. Today, gold leaf is used in the treatment and rejuvenation of skin conditions. The application of gold compounds to medicine, called chrysotherapy, reduces inflammation and is beneficial in the treatment of a variety of diseases.
It is well noted in the Journal of Neuroscience that in mainstream medicine, gold has been seen as a metal with little biological relevance. In contrast, the benefits suggested for gold containing supplements which address a variety of conditions including alcoholism, depression, and gland function. Although there is very little modern research on these applications for gold, historically one notable use of gold was as a “nervine,” a substance that could revitalize people suffering from nervous conditions, what today we would call neurological and psychiatric disorders.
The use of gold in aid of our well-being is well documented throughout history, including mention of a gold cordial found in the new pharmacopoeias of the 17th century. It was even advocated by Nicholas Culpepper, a Cambridge educated physician of his time, for the treatment of ailments caused by a decrease in the vital spirits, such as melancholy, fainting, fevers, and falling sickness epilepsy.
Although the use and application of the gold as an agent for well-being differs throughout our history, the reported benefits generally remain the same, which could lead one to believe that there must be some validity to it!
The water used to create ELIXIUM is from the Malvern Hills, the very same aquifer once enjoyed exclusively by the Queen of England. Malvern water has long been acclaimed for its purity. In 1756 Dr John Wall tested the water, found that it contained very few minerals, and said: “The Malvern water is famous for containing just nothing at all…!” The natural untreated water is generally devoid of all minerals, bacteria, and suspended matter, approaching the purity of distilled water before even being treated. Local legend says that the curative benefit of the spring water was already known in medieval times.
Our water has one of the lowest TDS [total dissolved solids] counts and nitrate counts in the UK, even after both forms of gold have been added.
Rockburn House and Rockburn Spring, where our water comes from and ELIXIUM is made, have long been known among higher social circles to be the most exclusive source of Malvern Water. The Manor, built in 1862, has housed and comforted many of society’s elites for both short and longer periods of time, providing the opportunity to relax, drink and bathe in the special water. It was unofficially one of the water cure clinics and guesthouses in Malvern, the status of its guests resulted in it being operated as a very discreet business. The guests at Rockburn were traditionally served the water with flaked gold leaf sprinkled atop, with some rumours of the more affluent patrons bathing in the water with the gold leaf too. We cannot verify this though.
We decided that the Glamour and Extravagance of ELIXIUM should be open to a larger audience of HNW and UHNW individuals that have a vested interest in their health and well-being. The Legend of Malvern Water combined with the magnificence and of ELIXIUM’s Heritage is something that should be accessible to those willing to stop at nothing to ingratiate their exacting requirements for hydration and purity. Thus we released it from being a solely private service steeped in rich history and intrigue into a global Luxury Beverage & Lifestyle Product currently available in Switzerland, Hong Kong, The UAE and of course The United Kingdom.
We always discuss with our clients their desires for ELIXIUM and work with them to create a bespoke design that is completed by hand. Our usual methods of personalisation involve engraving, sandblasting and etching a family crest, logo or message into the bottles for clients.
We have also fulfilled such requests as inserting a corked tube within the bottles that contains a private message or invitation.
We then engrave a unique serial number onto each bottle. This serial number can be entered into our website with a password, (which is an optional feature, at request of our guests for privacy concerns, to provide a full history on that particular bottle).
A client can learn of the detailed chemical and mineral report of their bottle of ELIXIUM. Who was involved in production, what occurred during production, how many bottles passed inspection and how many were rejected. The ‘best before’ date is available here as well as further information.
Once the design is authorised we proceed to the customisation of the bottles. Once the bottles and packaging are complete and fully inspected, we then proceed to drawing the water.
With ELIXIUM we are very conscious as to not strain, not only the artisan spring, but also the lands and water table in the vicinity. We never draw our water more than at the natural flow rate, and limit our production to 20,000 litres per month, which is less than a tenth of what naturally flows. We only draw water to order and almost the entire process is completed by hand. We purify the water according to legislation via carbon filtration as well as with UV-C light filtration, both being gravity fed and conducted by hand. This non-intrusive method of filtration ensures any naturally occurring pathogens are eliminated.
We minimise any waste by first filling each bottle by hand, and then individually adding the Colloidal Gold and the Gold Flake. This ensures that there is no waste, for if we were to blend in a centralised vat and then fill the premixed ELIXIUM into the bottles there would be residuum of both Colloidal Gold and Gold Flake, and such method would require mechanical intervention.
Once each bottle is filled, we seal the bottle by hand, securing the security ring on the enclosure. We then add a further level of security with Gold Wax Seal, which is also done by hand. A third and final security measure comes in the form of a tamper evident layer of 24ct Gold Leaf over the Gold Wax Seal. The gold leaf is so fine and prone to disturbance that if someone, even gently, handles the lid of the bottle the gold flake will peel away and evidence mishandling of the bottle. The bottles are then stored in a special room which is lit under UV-C, providing a third and final round of filtration before dispatch.
Up until the end of last year, we have provided ELIXIUM only to known and referred clients. Our clientele have almost exclusively always been private in nature, with ELIXIUM gracing the hands of Dignitaries, Heads of States, Billionaires and Royalty. We have since opened the doors of Rockburn, to introduce ELIXIUM to a greater network of clientele. We are currently in discussion with several 7* Hotels, the VVIP sector of the Air Travel Industry, Michelin Starred Restaurants and VIP Events Services, to determine the best way to incorporate ELIXIUM into their services whilst retaining the personalised touch of the Haute Rafraichissement.
Our facilities in Malvern are currently being renovated to accommodate the new open format of business as such availability to order is very limited at this time.
One should be aware that ELIXIUM is not a cure, medicine or remedy to any ailment or malaise. It can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. ELIXIUM serves to enhance well-being and frame the ideal lifestyle. As with anything in life, there are recommended quantities of consumption and the same goes for Gold, and ELIXIUM. One can safely drink a litre of ELIXIUM per day and be well within the range of recommended daily allowances of ingestion of Gold Flake and Colloidal Gold.”
To find out more about ELIXIUM visit the official website: www.elixiumwater.com