IT is the most famous Robert Burns narrative, a rollicking tall tale of drink, witches, Auld Alloway Kirk, cutty sarks, and Tam and his tail-less steed Meg.

Tam o' Shanter has been named the most popular Robert Burns poem in a new poll.

It took nearly a quarter of the votes in a survey to find the nation's favourite work by the national bard.

Pollsters YouGov asked more than 1000 Scots to select their favourite Burns poem for Burns Night, celebrated this Wednesday, with 23% choosing the world-famous verse written by Burns in 1790.

A Man's a Man for A' That came second, with 17% of respondents rating the poem – famous for its liberal and humanitarian ideas of society in the 19th century – as their No 1 choice. Following closely in third place was the Address to a Haggis, which 16% of Scots rated as their favourite.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said her personal favourite was Mary Morrison, a poem she recited at school. She added: "Robert Burns is Scotland's greatest cultural icon, recognised and celebrated all around the world.

"The results from this poll show that our national Bard still holds a special place in the nation's heart.

"The favourite, Tam o' Shanter, is considered by many as one of the best examples of narrative poem, while no Burns Supper would be complete without its vital ingredient – the Address to a Haggis."

Dr Gerry Carruthers, co-director of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at Glasgow University, said Tam o' Shanter was one of Burns' "greatest hits".

"It is interesting that all the poems mentioned are perhaps poems that people hear all the time," he added.

"Tam o'Shanter is a great story, and a great poem, although I would say you could equally make a case for Holy Willie's Prayer or To a Louse, as they are equally good.

"It is horses for courses – literally so in the case of Tam o' Shanter, you could say."

Although the poem concerns witches and the supernatural, Dr Carruthers said he believes it to be very much a poem of the Enlightenment.

"Burns is saying: all you intelligent people have put these beliefs aside, so you cannot enjoy this tale – but in fact you do. So it's a double-edged poem," he said.

"Equally, you are expected to laugh at Tam, but if you laugh too long, you are laughing at yourself, because Tam is an Everyman."

Liz Lochhead, the nation's Makar, or national poet, said her favourite Burns poem is To a Mouse.

She said: "[It's an] impossible choice. So here's my first favourite, best and dearest.

"At eight, I already loved that wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie being told, with perfect plain sincerity, 'I'm truly sorry Man's Dominion, has broken Nature's social union' – a tiny trembling creature standing in for our whole laid-waste and abused planet."

Traditional Burns suppers are taking place across the country this week, including a supper at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, Ayrshire. The 2012 Big Burns Supper festival will see over 2000 performers in 80 shows at 50 different venues across Dumfries.

Ms Hyslop added: "Burns remains the people's poet and his legacy is of immense value to Scotland and the country's image abroad."

In total, 1011 adults were polled by YouGov for the Scottish Government poll.

l A Michelin-style grading scheme could be introduced for Scotland's hostelries based on the staff's knowledge of Scotch whisky.

The Whisky Ambassador, co-founded by Victor Brierley, who runs Glasgow Whisky Tours, will provide a training scheme aimed at improving the level of service.