The Great Islay Swim (WhiskyCast Episode 711: July 1, 2018)

The rough, cold waters off Scotland's Isle of Islay are a
challenge for even the best sailors, and one might think it
madness to try and swim around the island. A year ago, three men
did just that and collected whiskies from each of Islay's eight
distilleries along their journey in the "Great Islay Swim."
Veteran explorers Justin Fornal and Chad Anderson were joined by
Beam Suntory brand ambassador Johnnie Mundell, who brought his
own open-water swimming background and his connections on Islay
to the challenge. We'll talk with Johnnie Mundell about his
life-changing experience on WhiskyCast In-Depth and taste the
whisky that's been bottled from that challenge and is being sold
to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In
the news, the ringleader of Kentucky's "Pappygate" thefts has
been released on shock probation after serving just 30 days of
his 15-year prison sentence, while a judge's ruling is all that
remains before the stolen whiskey seized as evidence in the case
can be destroyed. Meanwhile, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society
whiskies seized from four British Columbia bars last January are
still locked up as evidence, but a provincial review panel has
recommended policy changes that might lead to those whiskies
being returned to the shelves. We'll have that story, along with
details on the week's new whisky releases and as summer
temperatures soar, we'll have tasting notes for a
whiskey-flavored ice cream to beat the heat!