The Chimney Sweep. Many of us think of Dick Van Dyke as Bert from Mary Poppins singing "Chim Chim Cheree" ! According to legend, shaking hands with a chimney sweep is considered good luck. I bet you didn't know that!. I don't see many chimney sweeps walking around around New York City to shake hands with these days so maybe if you drink my Chimney Sweep Cocktail you'll have some good luck as well!

I wanted to create a cocktail that was smoky and bitter but was still fairly easy to drink. I know I know. Kind of a contradiction in terms! I did it though!

I needed to use a strong, peaty single malt . I chose Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Heavily Peated Single Malt Scotch.That's a mouthful isn't it?! It's distilled in Bruichladdich on the isle of Islay in casks hand picked by master distiller Jim McEwan and then matured in the original old stone warehouses in Port Charlotte. It's pretty intense stuff!

Now for the "making it easy" (well easier) to drink part!

I chose an old favorite. Campari. One thing that I love about Campari is that it mixes so well in all sorts of cocktails It has such a beautiful ruby red color.We all know it as the main ingredient in a Negroni or an Americano. I think it's one of the most versatile liquors out there. Made with various bitters, herbs and ....... Sssshhh!!!! The exact recipe remains a secret!

The next addition is Green Chartreuse. Sweet yet pungent and spicy at the same time.110 proof as well! Adding just a bit to the cocktail really enhances the flavor. It is also one of the few liquors that continues to age and improve in the bottle.

Last but not least the addition of some Crude " Sycophant" Bitters. Crude is a wonderful small batch soda and bitters company in North Carolina .The name Crude refers to the origins of bitters. They have some amazing products! Their "Sycophant" Bitters is an orange bitters finished with North Carolina figs. All their bitters have some really creative names!

Oh I almost forgot ! I then garnish the Chimney Sweep with a sprig of thyme. When you lift up your drink you get the wonderful aroma that blends perfectly with the cocktail.

So come on in and have a Chimney Sweep. Maybe a little bit of luck will come your way! Cheers!