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Brit Knocks Back Sourtoe Cocktail Containing His Own Mummified Toe

Brit Knocks Back Sourtoe Cocktail Containing His Own Mummified Toe

Nick Griffiths lost three toes to frostbite so decided to take on the 'Sourtoe Cocktail Challenge'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A former British Marine downed a cocktail containing his own mummified toe after losing it due to frostbite. Delicious, eh?

Nick Griffiths from Bolton lost three of his toes while on an incredibly brutal 300-mile-long winter race in Yukon - but seemingly following the whole 'waste not, want not' idiom to the extreme, Nick decided to enjoy his toe in a cocktail.

Nick Griffiths knocked back a drink with his own toe in.
Downtown Hotel

Bizarrely, the 'Sourtoe Cocktail' isn't a new thing - it actually dates back to 1973 and is a bit of a tradition in Downtown Hotel in Dawson City, Yukon. The dismembered toe is dehydrated, preserved in salt and then added to a drink of your choice.

According to the hotel: "You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow - but the lips have gotta touch the toe." Lovely.

Nick was told about the 'Sourtoe Cocktail Challenge' by a nurse while being treated for his frostbite.

The 47-year-old then found out the hotel was experiencing a shortage of toes - always the way - after people had either 'accidentally swallowed or stolen them'.

So, he offered to donate his toes, which is very generous of him, I'm sure you'll agree.

It took six weeks to mummify the digit with rock salt to ensure it was ready to be used as a garnish.

After a six-week wait, he headed back over to Yukon from Bolton to imbibe one of the special cocktails.

Speaking to PA, he said: "It wasn't as bad as you would think - it would more like a lump of ice than anything else.

"The toe looked exactly as it was the last time I had seen it.

"The tradition was first started with a toe that had been amputated due to frostbite, and they said for them to get another big toe, that was amputated due to frostbite was the mother-load. It was the full circle."

The Sourtoe Cocktail dates back to the 1970s.
Downtown Hotel

He went on to say the hotel is open to donations of toes and that it imposes a hefty £2,000 ($2,500) fine for anyone who 'accidentally swallows one', as though the thought of swallowing a toe isn't punishment enough.

Nick added: "I think my daughters get a little fed up with hearing the story so much. They go, 'Oh dad is going on about his toe again', but the whole family thinks it is quite funny.

"It is definitely something I will always remember."

Adam Gerle, General Manager of Downtown Hotel, added: "It's not every day a person can brag about doing the Sourtoe Cocktail with their own toe!

"After preserving it all summer, we have been waiting for Nick to be the first to down the new toe shot. We've been without a big toe for some time, so his generous Toe-Nation will help ensure the tradition continues."

Featured Image Credit: Downtown Hotel

Topics: uk news, Weird