Clint Eastwood’s legendary character The Man with No Name may forever wander the badlands incognito, but lucky for us the boozy homage to the iconic gunslinger at Somerville speakeasy Saloon gets a fitting moniker all of its own: the Spaghetti Western.

Bar manager Luke Graham, inspired by a roommate’s movie-viewing habits, thought of the name before he worked out the ingredients.

“I thought, let’s do a Western-style whiskey—High West Double Rye is excellent. And from there I picked out other ingredients to complement its flavors, pairing the bitter with the light,” says Graham.

Graham also drew inspiration from the 1794 (a Negroni variant that swaps gin for rye) but went a step further, tossing out the Campari and vermouth for three other Italian spirits: Luxardo Aperitivo, Cocchi Americano, and Amaro Meletti.

High West Double Rye, a blend of two- and sixteen-year-old whiskies, features a strong, spicy flavor of its own that gives the drink immediate backbone. It’s tempered by the light, bright flavor of Aperitivo Luxardo and Cocchi Americano, and the whole thing receives a hearty dose of bitter orange from Amaro Meletti for balance.

The final product is a boozy, complex slow-sipper with flavors familiar and unexpected.

“It’s a great drink for someone who likes a Negroni or a Manhattan but wants to get something a little bit different,” Graham says.

Spaghetti Western
1 ounce High West Double Rye Whiskey
½ ounce Luxardo Aperitivo
½ ounce Amaro Meletti
½ ounce Cocchi Americano
1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters
Lemon peel, for garnish

Combine ingredients in mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into rocks glass and garnish with lemon peel.