The opaque black bottle is elegant and unassuming. When you pour from it, it’s hard not to smile as the bright blue liquid comes flowing out. It just makes me happy. Then you smell the glass - and that too makes me happy. It’s a beautiful array of citrus peel, sweet and savory spices, and the kind of floral notes that aren’t overly perfumey, but are pretty and elegant. The Illusion promised by the name comes when you add tonic. Right before your eyes it changes from blue to pink, but this quirk of butterfly peas isn’t the reason to buy the gin, it’s just a fun side effect in my book. It’s the composition, balance, and texture that makes The Illusionist so compelling. There is a sweet and spicy nuttiness underneath the objectively refreshing citrus notes and it’s all tied together beautifully by a strong juniper backbone and deft selection of other herbal botanicals. I find this to be an extremely versatile gin that tastes just as good in a G&T as it does straight out of your freezer or in a complex cocktail like The Last Word. Bravo.