Yukon premier drinks historic 100,000th sourtoe cocktail

They wanted Ryan Reynolds. They got Sandy Silver.

The Yukon premier was the chosen one to drink the 100,000th sourtoe cocktail at the Downtown Hotel in his hometown of Dawson City.

The milestone event took place Tuesday night.

"It's not my first [sourtoe cocktail] and it won't be my last," said Silver, who is also the MLA for the area.

He said he doesn't often get asked to fill in for Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.

"But I'm always happy to oblige," he said.

The sourtoe cocktail is a well-known tradition that was started by riverboat captain Dick Stevenson in 1973 when he and some friends found a preserved toe in an abandoned cabin.

The cocktail is a shot of whisky with a mummified toe in it.

"Once the toe touches your lips, you have officially joined the club and get a certificate to commemorate the prestigious occasion," reads a news release from Northern Vision Development, which owns the hotel.

Reynolds had been invited to drink the 100,000th sourtoe cocktail with his Aviation Gin but the hotel didn't get a response.

Over the years people have donated toes to the hotel, including Stevenson, who willed all of his toes when he died in 2019.

In fact, the hotel made sure it was one of Stevenson's donated toes that was in the 100,000th cocktail.