Welsh pub scoops whisky title

The Old House has pipped rivals to the whisky title

A Welsh pub has been named as the best in the UK for drinking whisky, potentially threatening Scotland's position as the world's best place for sampling "the water of life".

The latest edition of the Good Pub Guide also revealed that a number of pubs in England had an even more impressive choice of the Scottish elixir than establishments north of the border.

The Old House, in Llangynwyd, Maesteg in south Wales, was picked as the guide's whisky pub of the year.

The pub in the thatched house, which has rooms dating back to the 12th century, has a range of more than 350 whiskies.

The pub has a range of more than 350 whiskies

Alisdair Aird, editor of the guide, said: "Is Scotland losing its edge as the best place in the world for whiskies?

"There are pubs and inns in Scotland with a great range of malts to try.

"But these are now being rivalled by many pubs south of the border, many of which have an even more impressive choice of Scotland's own drink."

The guide also listed other pubs with fine whisky collections, with hostelries in Cheshire, Devon, Northamptonshire and West Yorkshire singled out for particular praise.

More than 3,000 pubs have been listed as main entries in the guide since its first edition 20 years ago.

There are 14 categories - from Pub of the Year through to Landlords of the Year and Bargain Food Pub of the Year.

The Scotch Whisky Association said there were plenty of good whisky pubs in Scotland.

A spokeswoman added that the organisation had no problem with Wales winning, but that the real danger was people would stop drinking whisky in Scotland, especially young people.

She suggested that whisky could be marketed in more innovative ways in the domestic market to prevent any drop in consumption.