Whistler BC, Canada was amazing! Our week there was followed by a race home, chased by Winter 2024’s severe Arctic blast snowstorm. We didn’t make it way up north to Dawson City (31 hours away), home of the Sourtoe Cocktail, which I’ve heard is an experience and a destination in itself. The Sourtoe Cocktail Club (those with the courage to partake) has over 100,000 members, so I was curious to know more about this weird and infamous cocktail. And why people drove for miles to throw back a whiskey shot with an amputated toe.
First of All…
The “sour toe” itself is an amputated, mummified human toe that’s been dehydrated and preserved in salt. According to the very simple recipe, the cocktail consists of the toe sitting a glass with “a shot of whiskey, usually Yukon Jack”.
Now for Some History
In the 1920s, a couple of rum-runners, Louie and Otto, were caught in a blizzard. Louie’s foot broke through a patch of ice and got soaked. By the time they got back to their cabin, Louie’s foot was frozen, his big toe frostbitten. To prevent gangrene, Otto used an axe to chop off Louie’s toe. He then put it in a jar of alcohol as a keepsake.
In 1973, Captain Dick Stevenson found the cabin and the jar of toe. He then brought it to the Sourdough Saloon and came up with the genius idea of starting an exclusive club – the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. To gain admittance, applicants must drink the Sourtoe Cocktail. There’s just one rule:
“You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow — but the lips have gotta touch the toe.”
Safety Concerns
SO many questions came to mind when I first heard of this cocktail. One of which was, “Are mummified remains even safe for consumption?”
According to one infectious disease expert, it depends on how well the toe has been sterilized of all bacteria before it’s put into the drink. If there’s still blood in the toe, Sourtoe Cocktail drinkers risk contracting infectious diseases. How well it’s sterilized depends on the purity of the alcohol and what proof it is, grain alcohol being the better option.
With proper sterilization, that toe is as safe as having a bacon strip or pepperoni in your Bloody Mary.
Today, the Sourtoe Cocktail is a tradition and rite of passage at the Downtown Hotel’s Sourdough Saloon in Dawson City, Yukon. Yukon Jack was the choice spirit to usually accompany the toe because of the high alcohol content. According to Yukon Health, the cocktail has to be served in 80-proof alcohol to keep the toe sterilized. Plus, it was Captain Dick Stevenson’s favorite drink. These days, the accompanying spirit could be whiskey, rum, or tequila.
Downing the spirit, and kissing the toe, earns you a certificate and your name inside their ledger. Worth it, am i right?
I stopped at several bars in Whistler. Even if I couldn’t experience the toe, I hoped to at least get a shot of Yukon Jack. Sadly, and oddly enough, no one served it.
Taking the Plunge
Instructions on the Dawson City, Canada Sourdough Saloon site say to “work up some courage, get yourself a shot of Yukon Jack, and join the Toe Master for a drink you’ll never forget!” The Toe Master is the cocktail’s “spirit guide”, keeper of the toe, and giver of the toe.
NPR interviewed the Toe Master on his duties:
“…a toe master administers the toe to clients. And, also, I take care of the paperwork. And I take care of the toe, make sure it’s in good shape and well-preserved. I change the salt once a week on it. Any new toes come in – there’s a procedure you have to do to get it what’s called necrotic, which is completely mummified, before you can serve it.”
Hang on! “Any NEW toes come in“??
Now and again, someone accidentally swallows the toe. One person deliberately swallowed it and paid the fine. Another stole the toe, but the Yukon’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported that the toe was mailed back with an apology note.
Through the generosity of kind-hearted individuals, several toes have been donated to ensure the continued supply of amputated toes at the Saloon as they honor Captain Stevenson’s legacy.
Now get out there and find yourself a cocktail adventure! Cheers!
Cocktail Recipe (from the Sourdough Saloon) and how to become a Member:
1 ounce (minimum) of alcohol
1 dehydrated toe
garnish with courageStep 1 – Come down to the Sourdough Saloon
Step 2 – Purchase a shot (most club members prefer Yukon Jack)
Step 3 – Pledge the ‘Sourtoe Oath’
Step 4 – Watch as a (genuine) dehydrated toe is dropped in your drink
Step 5 – Drink your Sourtoe CocktailBe sure to remember the most important rule: “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips have gotta touch the toe”.
All Whistler BC, Canada images from: Alexandria Julaton
Featured image courtesy of DawsonCity.ca
Sourtoe Cocktail images and info from:
The Downtown Hotel
The history of the Sourtoe Cocktail: a shot of whiskey garnished with a human toe
The Sourtoe Cocktail
Dawson City, Sourdough Saloon
The Sourtoe Cocktail: Yes, It’s An Actual Human Toe In A Drink
Sourtoe Cocktails Have Actual Human Toes in Them—but Are They Even Safe to Drink?
Famous Shriveled Toe Returned to Yukon Bar