Sourdough Saloon and the Sourtoe Cocktail

The Sourdough Saloon is the bar at The Downtown, a Coast Hotel on Second Avenue, and it is where the Sourtoe Cocktail was born. The story goes that in the 1970s a captain found a preserved human toe in a cabin, and the toe became a traditional garnish for a shot of whiskey. The rule is simple: you can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips must touch the toe. Thousands of people have tried it and received a certificate as a member of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. The saloon itself is a good old-fashioned bar, with a long wooden counter, a cheerful crowd of locals and travellers and the sort of atmosphere that feels right for a gold rush town.

The ritual is easy to arrange. You order the drink at the bar, a staff member brings out the toe and places it in your glass, you drink your whiskey and, if you make it to the end, you join the club and receive a card. The toe is a real preserved toe, kept in salt, and the cocktail is as much a performance as a drink.

Bartenders tell the tale with a straight face, and the room tends to gather around the person taking the dare. Alcohol is part of the experience, so check the legal drinking age in the Yukon and drink responsibly. The staff also keep a record of the people who have finished the challenge.

The club has a few other rules. Swallowing the toe is heavily frowned upon, and there is a fine, so be careful. Over the years the toe has been replaced a number of times, as toes have been lost, stolen or swallowed. New toes have been donated to carry the tradition on, which gives you a sense of how seriously Dawson takes its folklore.

Beyond the cocktail, the Sourdough Saloon has music and a casual menu in season, and it is a comfortable place to spend an evening after a day of tours. It is open outside the main summer period as well, since The Downtown stays open year round, but opening hours and the availability of the cocktail can vary, so ask the hotel before you plan a special evening around it.

Visit with friends if you can. It is a social experience that works best with an audience, and the photographs will be talked about long after the trip. For something quieter, pair it with a show at Diamond Tooth Gerties in summer or a night of northern lights viewing in winter. The saloon is on Second Avenue, close to most hotels and restaurants, and is an easy walk from the Visitor Information Centre.

If you prefer a quiet drink, go earlier in the evening. As in any bar, plan a safe way back to your hotel, which in Dawson is usually a short walk. Staff are used to questions and photographs, and a polite request usually gets a cheerful answer and a good story.