TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday (June 12) uploaded a video showing visiting French senators enjoying Taiwanese-made whisky.
On Wednesday (June 8), a delegation of French senators arrived in Taiwan for a six-day visit. The delegation is led by Senator Joel Guerriau, vice chairman of the French Senate's Taiwan Friendship Group and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and the Armed Forces, and is joined by senators Vincent Eble, Sylvie Goy-Chavent, Dany Wattebled, and Ludovic Haye.
On Sunday, MOFA uploaded a video to its Facebook page that described in English the French delegation sampling Taiwanese whisky. In Chinese, the ministry wrote, "Let's see what the French who know best about wine-tasting have to say."
In the video, French senators Vincent Eble and Ludovic Haye can be heard saying the Taiwanese expression for "cheers," 呼乾啦! (ho͘ ta là!). Haye then says in Taiwanese that it "tastes good," 好啉 (hó-lim).
After emptying their glasses, Senators Sylvie Goy-Chavent, Dany Wattebled and Joel Guerriau can all be seen one by one saying "excellent" in French. The video then cuts to the entire delegation raising their glasses and saying ho͘ ta là again.
In the background, a sign for Kavalan, Taiwan's award-winning whisky brand, can be clearly seen. In 2015, it was awarded the best whisky in the world by the World Whiskies Awards and has since dominated the competition. Last year, it was named the Best World Whisky at the International Wines & Spirits Competition.