In the run up to his PhD and post-doc studies in hematopoiesis (the formation of blood cell components from stem cells), Matt spent a summer at Cambridge University on a Royal Society internship studying bugs, specifically flies, and even more specifically, blue bottle flies. Under the microscope, he found the indigo wings of these household nuisances to shimmer intricate patterns of iridescence unique to the majesty of nature, patterns that people peeved by the pest do not perceive.

The brand is named after George Chinnery, the English painter, who began his career in Dublin, before travelling to China. The bottle is inspired by these two parts of his career – Georgian Dublin and Imperial China. Technically, one could make gin in a matter of hours, but Blue Bottle settles in stainless steel for three weeks before bottling. According to Matt, “There’s some alchemy in storing the gin that I don’t completely understand. The flavours blend and develop much better in those tanks, not unlike a stew which usually tastes better the day after it’s made.”

Aviation's choice of a rye base gives this gin a creamier mouthfeel than most gins. It is a gin that you can enjoy chilled on its own, which is great news for super dry martini fans. It's time to go old school and get a taste of gin brands that have revived the oldest gin recipes in the world. We begin with the oldest of the two, genever. Once a week we’ll be carefully selecting a bottle of something alcoholic to be our 'drink of the week'. Bottles you’ve probably not tried, made in small batches, by producers who are dedicated to their craft and worth sipping to support... But others see something we laymen and women wouldn’t normally find in the microscope lens: they see beauty. Now, do you remember what you saw? You’re likely cringing as you think, “I see school work”, all those meticulous notes of what you observed jotted down for teacher assessment and exam studies. We certainly empathise with you!

Like many other brands, Bols has expanded their genever selection. Beyond the original, you can find barrel-aged bottles, which are rested in French Limousin oak casks for 18 months. We love this bottle design from our friends over at Audemus Spirits who also created another gin on this list – Pink Pepper! You will find the gin to be very aromatic and filled with rich flavors, making it a true delight for any gin lover. Where would the Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Society have been without Isola’s infamous gin? Perhaps they wouldn’t have even formed their lifelong friendships … And they certainly wouldn't have had so much fun!Dingle Distillery is located on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, and this spirit is no less impressive, as a growing number of taste awards will testify. A traditional dry gin, its botanicals are chosen to reflect the Kerry landscape and include rowan berries, bog myrtle and heather. The recommended serve is with large cubes of ice, a wedge of fresh orange, and juniper berries.(€36/70cl, dingledistillery.ie) Distilled in Cheshire, England, Bombay Sapphire's full list of vapor-infused botanicals include juniper, almond, grains of paradise, lemon peel, licorice, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia bark, and cubeb berries. It's old meets new with this gin. While the brand is relatively young, having launched in 1987, the beautiful array is based on a recipe from 1761.

We love the shape of this bottle, as it’s completely unique and we’re yet to see another gin (or spirit) with a bottle like this. This is the signature gin used to make a Sapphire martinias well as the Sapphire alpine. The two blue martinis use blue curaçao to get that beautiful color, and they're a delight to drink. Martin Miller's is a modern take on traditional gin. It has that wonderful juniper dominance of a London dry and it is perfectly balanced, crisp, clean and simply an extravagant gin. You can also explore the effects of aging on gin—something most gin is not subjected to—with Martin Miller's 9 Moons. This bottling rests the gin in previously used bourbon barrels for nine months to give it a fascinating sweetness of vanilla and oak.

Aviation American Gincame to market in 2006. It was one of the first brands to launch that made everyone rethink the definition of gin. It was at the forefront of the New Western Gin movement, featuring a softer juniper profile and gins that are often handcrafted in small batches. This gin revolution has brought the spirit's appeal to a wider audience of drinkers. Look how cool this bottle is! We love the stopper and the interesting distilling technique on the label …