(UPI) Monday marked International Whiskey Day, affording a perfect opportunity for connoisseurs to reflect on times the spirit has graced the odd news headlines.

International Whiskey Day was inaugurated on March 27, 2009, during the Whiskey Day Festival in the northern Netherlands. The date was chosen to coincide with the birthday of British writer Michael Jackson, who authored numerous influential tomes about whiskey and beer.

Here are five times the sippable spirit made odd news headlines.

New Tennessee distillery boasts world's longest bar

The Humble Baron whiskey distillery, which opened its doors for the first time this month in Shelbyville, Tenn., was constructed to house the longest permanent continuous bar in the world.

A Guinness World Records adjudicator visited the establishment and verified the bar measured 518 feet long, breaking the previous record of 405 feet, 10 inches set by Beer Barrel Saloon on Ohio's South Bass Island.

Treasure hunters find whiskey that sank into Ontario lake in 1964

Dieter Mueller of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, said he had long been fascinated by the story of several bottles of whiskey that sank to the bottom of Otter Lake in a 1964 boat crash, so he brought friend Adam Blokzyl and diving expert Dave Davison to help him search.

Davison was able to bring three bottles to the surface during a day of diving, and the men were elated to discover one of the bottles was still sealed and intact. The men said they hope to return to search for more bottles.

New Hampshire distillery turns invasive crabs into whiskey

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