Stingaz began the way many Caribbean stories begin, with a little spare time, a little curiosity and a love for the things that make us who we are. Its creator arrived in Trinidad from Barbados and found himself working in his brother in law’s apiary, surrounded by honey in its purest form. There, with the hum of bees as background music and the scent of fresh honey settling on his hands, his mixologist instincts started to stir. He began experimenting, testing, exploring. He discovered the medicinal magic that has always lived inside this golden ingredient, the antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti inflammatory qualities that have soothed Caribbean generations long before wellness became a global trend. He realised honey could do more than sweeten a drink. It could transform one.
Stingaz was born out of that moment of discovery. It is a small batch handcrafted rum punch infused with honey and laced with spices that come together to create what its maker describes as the balance between feeling it and tasting it. To him, rum is not something to overpower. It is something to harmonise. The heart of his process is a stage he calls Restoring Nectar, the place where the infusion meets intention. All the goodness rests there and it is in that resting that the rum finds its signature character. It becomes smooth, simple, fun, sustainable, boozy but balanced. It becomes easy to enjoy at any occasion. It becomes a rum punch that invites you to shake and pour.
The name Stingaz came naturally. What else do you call a drink infused with a product as powerful as honey? What began as a nod to the ingredient has now grown into a culture of its own, with customers carefree and smiling calling out for a Sting whenever they want a shot. It is part nickname part energy part knowing glance. The kind of thing that only happens when a brand begins to live beyond the bottle.
Juggling the demands of entrepreneurship has not been easy. With a full life outside the brand he has been burning the candle on both ends yet he remains grounded in the belief that this is the journey he is meant to be on. If it were easy everyone would do it. Balance is everything. That balance shows up in the drink and in the mindset behind it. Stingaz has taught him humility. It has reminded him that every step matters when you are the small fish in the ocean and every decision must be a calculated one. Without major budgets he focuses on high impact opportunities, the moments that allow the brand to be seen and felt in the right places.
The milestones that matter most to him are simple but powerful. He still lights up whenever he hears someone call out Stingaz from across a crowded space. It is not the distance that matters but the recognition. It is the proof that people are connecting with what he created. For him that connection outweighs any metric. It is the moment a business becomes a brand.
That distinction is everything to him. A business is transactional but a brand has a soul. It has distinctive characteristics that shape identity and build an emotional connection. A strong brand is one you can fold into your lifestyle and carry with you into the moments that fill your life. Stingaz aims for that. It does not want to be a drink on a shelf. It wants to be the drink you take to the beach the drink you share at family gatherings the drink you pour for friends on a Friday night the drink that becomes yours.
Part of that identity comes from history. The Caribbean has a long untold story of rum punch one that predates the cocktail by two centuries. Rum punch is convivial festive collaborative. It is the drink of gatherings and good times the place where laughter grows and friendships stretch out. Marry that legacy with the ancient healing power of honey and you get a brand with deep roots. A brand that bridges past and present with intention.
The local brand community in Trinidad and Tobago has also shaped him. He sees the talent everywhere in food arts crafts design clothing graphics music and everything in between. To him these are all brands once the heart is involved. His experience within the community has been one of support and partnership. It reinforces his belief that creatives thrive when they lift each other up.
Stingaz has found its place at markets like Bits and Pieces and UpMarket where people gravitate toward handcrafted things made with care. Those spaces allow him to meet his customers face to face witness their reactions and share the story behind the Sting. They are reminders that the Caribbean spirit is alive and well and that people still appreciate things made the slow way.
His advice for anyone dreaming about entrepreneurship is anchored in truth. It is not for the faint hearted. People will doubt you even the ones closest to you. The dream was given to you not them. Success does not arrive overnight. It emerges through the repetition of good habits through quiet discipline and the transformation of the self. Success is a habit not an act. To attract it you must become the person capable of holding it.
Stingaz is still growing still connecting still finding its way into new hands and new homes. But what remains constant is its purpose. It is more than a rum punch. It is appreciation love and healing poured into a bottle. It is a reminder that the Caribbean has always known how to make something powerful from the simplest ingredients. It is proof that a little sweetness and a little sting can change everything.
