Go Back

Midnight Knock Cocktail

A dark, nervy twist on a whiskey sour — smooth at first sip, unsettling by the end.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

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.