Visitors from all over the world go to the Downtown Hotel in Dawson City, Yukon, to join the Sourtoe Cocktail Club, but it isn’t for the faint of heart.
In a tradition that dates back to the 1920s, a dehydrated toe is placed in the drink of a brave individual. These toes have all been donated, and stem from the amputation of rum-runner Louie Linken’s toe after a case of frostbite. Now, patrons drink from the “Sourtoe Cocktail” in a demonstration of courage (and maybe insanity), but to truly be initiated into the club, you have to follow the most important rule: “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips have gotta touch the toe.”
Last Sunday, someone stole one of the mummified toes. Though the bar has backup toes, this particular appendage was donated recently by a man who had the toe surgically removed.
Instantly realizing his mistake, the toe-thief mailed the stolen property to the police a few days later, with a note that read, “I’m deeply sorry. I was way too drunk and lost my mind celebrating a special Yukon date. I returned it as fast as possible and not damaged. Sincerely, A Drunken Fool.”
“We’re just very, very, very happy to have it back,” hotel manager Geri Coulbourne told CBC. “He realized what he had done was a major blow to the community and I think he felt compelled to send it back.”
Pulled from the Dawson City tourism website, the recipe of their renowned drink is as follows:
- 1 ounce (minimum) of alcohol
- 1 dehydrated toe
- garnish with courage
Would you give the Sourtoe Cocktail try?
