The Midnight Knock Cocktail – Don’t Be Afraid
A dark, nervy twist on a whiskey sour – smooth at first sip, unsettling by the end.
Skill Level
Easy–Medium — a simple shake that delivers layered tension.
Midnight Knock Cocktail
A dark, nervy twist on a whiskey sour — smooth at first sip, unsettling by the end.
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
- Jigger or measuring spoons
- Hawthorne strainer
- Rocks glass
- Ice, cubed
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Bourbon
- 3/4 ounce Fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce Maple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Small Rosemary sprig or lemon twist optional garnish
Instructions
- Add bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, and bitters to a shaker with ice.
- Shake hard for about 15 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a rosemary sprig or lemon twist.
Notes
Why It Works
The Midnight Knock takes the warmth of a whiskey sour and drapes it in tension. Maple syrup replaces simple syrup for a darker, wood-smoked sweetness that lingers just long enough to make you uneasy. The lemon juice cuts through like a flashlight beam in the dark, and the bitters add the quiet hum of dread underneath. It’s elegant, easy to make, and just unnerving enough to match the stillness before the next knock on the door.Pro Tips & Variations
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Smoky twist: Add a barspoon of peated Scotch for campfire eeriness.
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Sweeter edge: Swap half the lemon juice for orange juice.
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Zero-proof riff: Use NA bourbon or chilled black tea with a few drops of vanilla extract.
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Batch it: Multiply by 4 in a pitcher (bourbon, lemon, maple, bitters), shake individual servings with ice for consistency.
