the crafty & elusive elk

1 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino
3/4 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Orange Bitters (Scrappy's)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime wheel.Two Sundays ago, I selected the Kindred Cocktails database as my drink recipe source for the night. There, I spied a 2011 recipe that bartender Daniel Warrilow entered himself from his time at Los Angeles' Son of a Gun restaurant called the Crafty & Elusive Elk. The combination reminded me of an agave-based version of the Charley's Royal Reserve Cocktail from Crosby Gaige's 1941 Cocktail Guide & Ladies' Companion. Once prepared, the drink began with a lime, vegetal, nutty-funky, and smoke aroma. Next, lime with some richness on the sip gave way to smoky agave, clove, and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow. I was at first concerned that the Maraschino would dominate the flavor profile, but it did a great job complementing the mezcal here and adding base notes to counter the brighter ingredients.