Drinking a glass of alcohol in which a real human toe has macerated may seem like a challenge… absurd! Yet, in a small, isolated Yukon town in northwestern Canada, this experience has become a must-see attraction for more than 50 years. Called the “Sourtoe Cocktail,” this drink is served according to a precise ritual, with a mummified limb whose bearer’s lips must inevitably touch the end. Behind this rather bewildering tradition lies a story of gold rush fever, frostbite, and colorful personalities, as explained by the BBC.
A frostbite-origin tale behind an unusual tradition
To understand how a human toe ended up in a glass, head for Dawson City. This town of around 2,300 inhabitants, located 531 kilometers from the nearest city, first earned its fame thanks to the Klondike gold rush. After the precious metal was found in the region in 1896, tens of thousands of prospectors rushed there in search of fortune. When the gold seekers eventually left for other territories, Dawson City retained its frontier-town atmosphere.
It is within this backdrop that the story behind the Sourtoe Cocktail is said to have begun. In the 1920s, during Prohibition in the United States, two brothers, Louie and Otto Linken, were allegedly caught in a violent snowstorm while smuggling liquor toward Alaska by dog sled. Louie, frostbitten after submerging his foot in icy water, reportedly ended up needing an amputation. According to local legend, his brother Otto then severed the toe with a hatchet, keeping it in a jar filled with alcohol.
It wasn’t until the early 1970s that this relic resurfaced. While cleaning an abandoned cabin that had belonged to the two brothers, a Dawson City resident named Dick Stevenson, known as Captain Dick, is said to have discovered the famous jar. In 1973, he decided to turn it into an unusual ingredient for a cocktail and invited his friends to try the experience. The Sourtoe Cocktail was born.
The concept is simple, but the rules are strict. Patrons must order a glass of alcohol, typically whiskey, into which the mummified toe is submerged. A single requirement applies: the lips must touch the toe. It, however, is forbidden to chew, suck, or swallow it. A sign even warns participants that they face a fine of 2,500 dollars (about 2,230 euros) if they ingest the piece of human body accidentally or intentionally.
A rite of passage that continues to draw more visitors
Today, the Sourtoe Cocktail has become one of the Yukon’s most famous curiosities. Around 140,000 people are said to have tried it, automatically joining the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. Their names are entered in a register after this very unusual tasting.
Terry Lee, one of the bartenders responsible for overseeing the ceremony, has held the role of Toe Captain for 13 years. During the peak summer season, he can serve between 75 and 100 cocktails per evening, during his four-hour shift. The drink is offered from May to September at the Sourdough Saloon, inside the Downtown Hotel, and then the rest of the year at the Sluice Box Lounge of the Eldorado Hotel.
“It’s considered something like a rite of passage. Many locals have done it”, Terry Lee told the BBC. The tradition has, however, experienced a few incidents. In 2013, a customer deliberately swallowed the toe, triggering a local scandal. Others have also accidentally swallowed some of the precious appendages.
To prevent the tradition from dying out, organizers now have about 25 toes at their disposal, used in rotation. Some come from posthumous donations. In 2018, a British athlete who suffered frostbite during the Yukon Arctic Ultra ultramarathon donated three of his toes. Dick Stevenson, the creator of the ritual, had himself donated all ten of his toes before his death in 2019.
This practice also reflects the distinctive character of Dawson City. Between its historic buildings, colorful façades, and quirky events, the town fosters a somewhat singular identity. “The Sourtoe has become a kind of strangely proud motif”, says Tara Kehoe, curator at the Dawson City Museum, to the BBC. Even those who refuse to drink the cocktail enjoy bringing their loved ones to witness the scene.
The popularity of this tradition also shows no signs of waning. In June, the Sourdough Saloon set a record by serving 156 Sourtoe Cocktails in a single evening. A testament that in this former gold-rush town, a simple mummified toe can still draw crowds.
