Taipei, Sept. 9 (CNA) Taiwan's spirits shone bright at the 2017 Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, winning several gold and silver medals in the annual competition.

According to results of the 2017 Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles that were released online Sept. 4, Taiwan won one grand gold medal, 11 gold medals, and 10 silver medals for the spirits it submitted to the competition in La Serena, Chile, Aug. 22-24.

The medal count put Taiwan among the top five countries in the competition, the others being France, China, Mexico and Italy.

On Friday, Taiwan's National Treasury Administration (NTA) issued a press release, congratulating the local spirit producers for "receiving international acclaim for their brewing techniques."

NTA Deputy Director-General Tai Lung-huei said Taiwan's performance was highly commendable in light of the fierce competition among the 54 countries that made a total 1,140 submissions to the competition.

Of the 12 quality certified spirits submitted by the NTA, Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky, Jade Supremacy Blended Malt Whisky, and Crazy 50° Strawberry won gold medals, while Shochu Rice Spirit gained silver.

The other medals were won by spirits submitted independently by producers in Taiwan.

The NTA has drafted a development plan for making quality spirits, which will integrate the resources of the ministries of foreign affairs, economic affairs, and transportation, and the Council of Agriculture to continue to lift the standard of Taiwan's spirits on the international stage.