Raoul’s Cocktail Bar in Oxford has a tradition and reputation of serving some of the best Cocktails in the country. Having recently been voted Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year, Bar Manager Rob Poulter takes a time out to reflect on his recent accolade, competition, his favourite concoction and his plans for the future.

First off, introduce yourself squire -

I’m Rob!

How long have you been bartending for?

Ages! Getting on for 9 years!

Was it a chosen career path or did you just drift into it?

I drifted, I dropped out of Uni and needed a job to pay my debts, a little later and I’m still working in a bar and still have all the debts but now it’s a passion as well as a profession!!!

What did you have to do to push yourself to the level you are at today?

Time spent behind the bar stick, if you do any job for 9 years, chances are you become adept at it, especially in a trade where the majority of your contemporaries are younger and as a result have less experience.

I’ve been to a few flaring comps in my time. Are there any more coming up in Oxford in the near future?

In Oxford Thirst bar on Park End St run their ‘Flair Enough’ comps (check www.thirstbar.com) otherwise for top level shit check out the Roadhouse in Covent Garden on the last Sunday of the month (most months) for the best national and international Flair-tenders.

Speaking of competition, what’s the Bar culture like in Oxford. Is there camaraderie between Bars and their staff or rivalry?

A bit of both really, most of the old time tenders share a jaded camaraderie, the rivalry tends to come higher up the food chain from the guys with their money invested in bars.

The Diageo Comp sounded quite hectic. Can you give us a little summary of how it panned out?

It started in Oct ‘06 with a regional comp in Bristol, I won that (which I considered an achievement in itself at the time), a year later myself and the other 11 regional winners met up for the final in London, we had 2 rounds there, then got split into two groups of six, six flew to Dublin for the next round and six went home! In Dublin we arrived late, stayed overnight, had 3 comps in the morning and then got driven straight back to the airport where they split us into two groups of three, three flew home and three flew on to New York. We arrived late in New York and then had four comps in four different NYC bars, had one night out and flew back to Dublin the next day! I had breakfast in NYC, lunch in Dublin and dinner in Oxford but by that time I knew I’d won so exhaustion had given way to elation.

Well congratulations! Definitely nice to have it on your CV, haha. What does the title mean to you?

A chance to keep the boys I work with in line and a little glory in the local press, it’s always nice to get recognition for being good at what you do.

On the rare occasions you have time off, where do you like to go out drinking in Oxford?

I tend to drink in the bars my mates tend at so Thirst, Anuba, Thirst Lodge, the Bridge, The Cellar, The Duke of Cambridge, anywhere really!

Although you are a Cocktail barman, I know that you wont drink Cocktails anywhere else, why’s that?

I wouldn’t say I won’t drink cocktails anywhere else. I drink the odd cocktail elsewhere on occasion. It’s more because I like my drinks made a very specific way and at Raoul’s the guys all know how I like my drinks, if I order them elsewhere I have to explain how I like them made to the bartender and it’s hard to do that without coming across as a pretentious twat and nobody wants to come across as a pretentious twat do they?

No I guess not! Right, onto the drinks. what’s your favourite tipple at the moment?

Generally a cold beer or a decent rum with coke and lime, they’re two drinks it’s pretty hard to fuck up.

What’s your favourite Cocktail and can you give us a quick recipe for it?

I’m loving a ‘Tommy’s Margarita’ at the moment. 50ml 100% Agave Tequila (always look for the words 100% Agave on the label) 25ml fresh lime juice 12.5ml Agave syrup Shaken with ice and served over fresh ice in a whiskey tumbler or rocks glass.

Mmmm, that sounds tasty, might have to rustle one up in a bit. As far as Raoul’s is concerned you are at the top of your game. What does the future hold for yourself, do you have any lifetime ambitions?

I’d love my own place one day, you can’t work for other people forever!

Truesay. I know back in the day, you were quite a raver. Can you tell us about one of the best events you’ve been to and who was playing?

Ha, I was a bit of a Jungle kid back in the day, DJ Rap at Tribal Gathering in ‘95, Hype and Andy C at World Dance at Lyd Airport in ‘97, Helter Skelter ‘97 and obviously the Destanation Sound System parties on Port Meadow were untouchable, happy memories man!

Whilst we’re wandering down memeory lane, I know you used to DJ a while back. You think you’ll ever blow the dust off your turntables and get on it again?

You’re the only cunt who ever asks me that, haha. I found a couple of old mix tapes the other day (yeah cassettes) they were OK in places but mostly rubbish so I don’t plan on it any time soon, I’d be more likely to crack em out for my little boy, get him cutting and scratching at a young age.

Start em young! Well, we’ve talked for long enough. Finally, what is that makes Raoul’s one of the best bars in the country, and you can’t say you -

We’ve all got big love for our craft down here, that passion comes across the bar and touches people, it’s not just great drinks, it’s knowing whoever made it for you gave a shit about how it tastes and what went in it! If they gave Michelin stars to bars we’d be pimping at least 3 and I’d be kicking it in Hells Bar with Marco Pierre White.

Haha, I can see it happening! Lastly, any last words?

Yeah, big up Blunted, lovin’ ya work, lovin the fact there’s a local scene in Ox these days, lovin’ the Local Music For Local Headz shit, remember ya roots, it’s all about Ox baby!

A video of Rob can be found HERE