A WHISKY maker from Gwent turned down a visit from Bill Clinton because, he claims, he would have had to pay £50,000 for the privilege.

Equestrian farmer Ben Jones, who runs Grove Farm in Abergavenny, had a call from a member of Mr Clinton's team saying that the former US President would love to sample some of his traditional whisky liqueur.

But the request turned sour when the 54-year-old farmer was told that he would have to pay an endorsement fee of around £50,000.

"I just don't have that kind of money so I had to refuse the offer," said Mr Jones, who began reproducing the 'Danzy Jones' whisky liqueur about five years ago.

The former art lecturer added: "I would have been very pleased to welcome Mr Clinton on to my farm and to taste some of the whisky.

"The caller made it clear that Mr Clinton wanted a fee for the privilege. And I was told that a figure of £50,000 had been mentioned to a distillery in Ireland - and I just could not afford that."

Mr Jones' grandfather Danzy Jones started producing the unique blend of Welsh whisky liqueur in 1890.