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Nick GriffithsFormer Royal Marines Commando Donates His Amputated Toes to Make Legendary Cocktail
Date of Birth: 01.01.1970
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- A Former Marine's Amputated Toes Become Legendary Cocktail Ingredient
- The "Sourtoe" Tradition
- Griffiths' Fingerless Toes
- A Cocktail with a "Cheeky" Touch
- A Family Legend
A Former Marine's Amputated Toes Become Legendary Cocktail Ingredient
Nick Griffiths' Lost ToesIn 2018, during a grueling 480km Arctic Ultra marathon, British Royal Marine Nick Griffiths lost three toes due to frostbite. After his amputation, Griffiths learned about the Sourtoe Cocktail Club, a Canadian saloon with a bizarre tradition: drinking whiskey with a mummified human toe.
The "Sourtoe" Tradition
Since 1973, patrons of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club have sipped their Yukon Jack whiskey from glasses containing a preserved human toe. The club's founder accidentally swallowed a toe while drinking beer from a cabin in 1973 and decided to create the club as a tribute to his lost digit.
Griffiths' Fingerless Toes
When the club acknowledged a shortage of human appendages, Griffiths generously donated his amputated toes. After being shipped and preserved in rock salt for six weeks, one of Griffiths' toes became the first to be used in a cocktail he drank himself.
A Cocktail with a "Cheeky" Touch
According to Griffiths, the pickled toe "floats around in the bottom of your glass." The drinker must ensure that the toe touches their lips or risk being fined or banned from the club. Over 100,000 members have joined the club since its inception.
A Family Legend
Despite his daughters' amusement, Griffiths relishes the notoriety his toes have brought him. "It's definitely something to tell the grandkids," he said. The club keeps its toes undiluted between uses, relying on the alcohol to kill any bacteria.
