In a category long defined by heritage and geography, a new kind of rum is emerging, one shaped not by origin alone, but by intention. With The Curatist, that intention takes on a distinctly modern form, where design, narrative, and liquid are considered as a whole.
At first glance, it is the bottle that commands attention. The Curatist Panama Edition is presented in a sculptural black ceramic vessel, curved, tactile, and deliberately devoid of straight lines. It is an object designed as much for permanence as for presentation.
For founder Jiggy Rawal, the form is not incidental.
“It reflects the brand’s British and global identity,” she explains. “Curation is never linear; it evolves, it moves.”
The symbolism is layered. A swift crowns the stopper, referencing a bird known for its long migrations yet unwavering instinct to return home. Copper detailing nods to traditional stills, while the etched wind-line patterns evoke movement across continents. Even before the first pour, the narrative is established.
Rawal’s own path mirrors that sense of movement. British Indian, raised between London and India, her career began far from spirits, in strategy, finance, and transformation, including senior roles within the insurance and fintech sectors. She later founded Jellyfish Consulting, advising family offices and private clients on value creation, often within the world of passion assets.
Rum entered the picture through travel.
“I have always been drawn to curation art, objects, experiences,” she says. “When it came to creating The Curatist, I wanted something that reflected that perspective. Something rooted in Britain, but shaped by the world.”
That philosophy defines the Panama Edition. Rather than relying solely on provenance, the blend brings together British-distilled rum with aged Panamanian stocks, some exceeding 25 years, before finishing in Cognac casks. The result is a spirit that balances structure with approachability: tropical fruit, vanilla, and dried fig layered with fresh-cut grass, subtle herbal notes, and candied ginger.
It is, by design, a composed expression rather than an overt one.
Bottled at 45 percent ABV, The Curatist positions itself as a sipping rum, though its structure lends itself equally well to cocktails, an area Rawal approaches with the same sense of detail.
“Our cocktail programme is an extension of curation,” she notes. “Each element, liqueurs, tinctures, nectars, is considered. The goal is to create something layered, but precise.”
Serves such as the Nocturne Rose, with its interplay of rosé vermouth and delicate sweetness, or Spice & Silk, where pear, lime, and cardamom meet the warmth of the rum, reflect that philosophy. These are not decorative drinks, but composed ones, built with intention rather than excess.
The brand’s launch partnerships further reinforce its positioning. Collaborations with Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay and Savile Row tailor Alexandra Wood place The Curatist within a broader cultural framework, one that extends beyond spirits into design, craftsmanship, and contemporary luxury.
At £140, the Panama Edition sits confidently within the premium category. Yet its distinction lies less in price than in perspective.
For Rawal, the project is as much about philosophy as product.
“Finance is about assembling pieces into a whole,” she reflects. “This is no different. The Curatist has been about bringing together everything I value: craft, heritage, experience, and shaping it into something cohesive.”
In a spirits landscape often defined by tradition, The Curatist offers a different proposition.
Not a reinterpretation of rum’s past, but a considered vision of where it might go next.
