Noppasate “Depp” Hirunwathit: Rabbit Hole (Bangkok)

Noppasate “Depp” Hirunwathit is the Head Bartender of Rabbit Hole in Bangkok. He makes us two cocktails, one with Campari and Dry Vermouth and the second with Rye Whiskey and Charcoal Pandan Vermouth.

Depp introduce yourself
“Please call me Depp”, this is who I’ve been for the last 7 years. After I finished high school I got a part-time job as a barista, while continuing my studies at university. I started working in various cafes making coffee but the
pay was too low. When I saw the movie “Coyote Ugly” it became my inspiration, especially the scene where the girls dance on the countertop, making cocktails like it’s no big deal. It looked very cool and seemed like a lot fun to me. I thought bartending was just about looking cool, chatting with customers and shaking up pretty cocktails. I’m gay, fun-loving and outgoing and I thought bartending would be a good fit for me. I started at Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar, which was the place to go for great cocktails in 2012. At first I was there making coffee and smoothies, and slowly learned to make quite a lot of cocktails. Then I moved to be a bartender at Lady Brett, then U.N.C.L.E. bar. It’s hard work and requires a lot of knowledge and skills, which I didn’t have in the beginning. After about two and a half years I entered the Monin Cup Thailand bartender competition in 2014 and won. Afterwards I got a lot of job offers but I decided to stay where I was at Revolucion Cocktail bar. I learnt flair as a new skill, and developed my movement and technique to be faster. I also fine-tuned my bartending skills, from managing the back bar to taking care of the customers, connecting with fellow bartenders and most importantly immersing myself in the bartender scene. After two and a half  years there, I met ChaCha (Suwincha Singsuwan). We hit it off and I came to work with her at Rabbit Hole. Since moving here, I’ve won the South East Asia and Thailand BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition 2018 and I’ve also been one of Global winners top 16 In the same competition. Recently, I’ve been the first-ever winner of the Wild Turkey Behind the Barrel of Thailand Bartender Competition in 2019.

The classic you want to show us
Rome with a View
30ml of Campari
30ml of Dry Vermouth
30ml of Lime Juice
22ml of Simple syrup
Top with Soda

The bar you dream of
My dream bar would be something that immediately makes you feel comfortable and familiar and would be in my hometown of Bangkok. Lighting is very important and the venue should be fascinating even if it’s not a large space that seats around 60. I’d also like customers to enjoy a maximum of three cocktails each.

What do you do in your time off
Most of the time I am surrounded by delicious local food. I like cooking for myself too, so on my days off I usually go out for local food with my boyfriend. Local Thai food is the best.

The spirit you like the most
The spirit which is my favourite is of course rum. I fell in love with brown spirits in general because I’m drawn to the complexity, the diverse texture and characters of them. And I love it!

What makes a good cocktail
Balance is key for a good drink. This comes from knowing your ingredients very well, the right dilution, flavour and the temperature of the drink. And the passion of the bartender is that special added extra.

What ingredient do you enjoy using in cocktails
It would be fresh fruit and all acidity, as it adds freshness to drinks. And of course, we can use it in in many ways, even in cuisine.

The signature cocktail you want to show us
No Regret
10ml of Salted Cocoa Liqueur
20ml of Charcoal Pandan Vermouth
50ml of Rye Whiskey
3 dashes of Smoked Whisky
3 dashes of Peychauds Bitters

Where do you think we need to go to interview another bartender
You should go to visit Aman Dua at Raahi in Bangalore and here in Bangkok interview my mentor, Suwincha “ChaCha” Singsuwan from the Rabbit Hole Group.

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