triple arthrodesis

1 1/2 oz Nuestra Soledad Mezcal
3/4 oz Cherry Heering
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Clove Syrup (*)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Fill with crushed ice and garnish with a lemon peel pierced with 3 cloves.
(*) Perhaps falernum would work in a pinch.

Two Mondays ago, we ventured over to Backbar after dinner, and for a nightcap, I asked bartender Dan Braganca for the drink of the day that he had created. The drink was called the triple arthrodesis, a surgical procedure fusing three joints in the foot, and the name reminded me of classics by Embury, Gaige, and others such as the Appendicitis and the Psittacosis. I inquired if the drink paid tribute to bar manager Sam Treadway's recent foot injury; however, Dan explained that the recipe was in honor of his girlfriend who is a podiatrist. So besides naming the drink after things she does at work, he included two ingredients that she loves, namely mezcal and cherry, in the mix.
The Triple Arthrodesis was less medical to the senses for it offered a delightful lemon oil aroma. Next, lemon and cherry on the sip were followed by mezcal and cherry on the swallow with a smoke and clove finish.