Free WSET Spirits Level 2 Exam Prep

Four key stages of spirits production: (1) raw material processing — grains, fruit, sugar cane, agave and how starch/sugar is released or cooked; (2) alcoholic fermentation — yeast converting sugars to ethanol, role of fermentation time and yeast strain; (3) distillation — pot still (batch, double distillation, congener-rich) vs column still (continuous, high-strength, neutral); heads/hearts/tails cuts; (4) post-distillation operations — maturation in oak (cask type, size, fill, climate, angel's share), blending for consistency and house style, filtration including charcoal and chill filtration.

Cognac (Charente, France): Ugni Blanc grapes, alembic charentais double pot still distillation, 6 crus (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires), grades VS (2 yr min), VSOP (4 yr min), Napoleon (6 yr min), XO (10 yr min from 2018), Fine Champagne blend. Armagnac (Gascony, France): traditional alembic armagnacais continuous column still, fuller/rustier style than Cognac. Calvados (Normandy, France): apple (and pear) brandy; Pays d'Auge requires double pot still distillation; min 2 years oak. Grappa (Italy): pomace brandy distilled from vinaccia. Pisco (Peru/Chile): unaged or briefly aged grape brandy with separate legal definitions in each country.

Scotch Whisky: 5 legal categories (Single Malt — 100% malted barley, pot stills, single distillery; Single Grain — malted barley + other grains, column stills, single distillery; Blended Malt — two or more single malts, no grain; Blended Grain — two or more single grains, no malt; Blended Scotch — malt + grain). Minimum 3 years in oak, max 700L cask, min 40% ABV bottling. Regions: Speyside (fruity, elegant, often sherried), Highlands (diverse), Lowlands (light, unpeated), Islay (heavily peated, maritime), Campbeltown. American Whiskey: Bourbon (51%+ corn, new charred oak, ≤160 proof distillation, ≤125 proof barrel entry, ≥80 proof bottling, no geographical restriction); Straight Bourbon (min 2 years + no additives); Tennessee Whiskey (meets bourbon requirements + Lincoln County Process maple charcoal filtration); Rye Whiskey (51%+ rye); Bottled in Bond (one distillery, one season, min 4 years, 100 proof). Irish Whiskey: min 3 years in wood, typically lighter and unpeated; styles include Single Pot Still (malted + unmalted barley in pot stills), Single Malt, Single Grain, Blended. Canadian and Japanese whiskies: lighter styles influenced by blending and different cereal and cask choices.

Raw materials: molasses (most commercial rum) or fresh sugar cane juice (Rhum Agricole, Cachaça). Styles by colour/age: white/light (unaged or charcoal-filtered, clean), gold/amber (light ageing), dark/aged (extended oak maturation, vanilla/caramel/dried fruit). Regional styles: Spanish-style Ron (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic — column still, charcoal-filtered, light and dry); Jamaican (pot still and column, long fermentation, dunder/muck, ester-rich and funky); Barbadian (pot + column combination, balanced fruity style); Rhum Agricole AOC Martinique (fresh cane juice, column still to 65–75% ABV, tiered ageing). Cachaça: Brazilian spirit from fresh cane juice, unaged (prata) or aged in Brazilian native wood. Overproof rum: above 57.15% ABV.

Raw material: Blue Weber agave (Tequila); multiple agave species (Mezcal, most commonly Espadin). Denomination of Origin: Tequila (Jalisco + 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, Tamaulipas); Mezcal (principally Oaxaca). Tequila production: piñas steamed in hornos/autoclaves (no smoke); 100% agave vs mixto (min 51% agave sugars). Age categories: Blanco (0–2 months), Reposado (2 months–1 year), Añejo (1–3 years, casks ≤600L), Extra Añejo (3+ years). Regional styles: Highlands (Los Altos) = more floral/fruity; Lowlands (Valley) = more earthy/herbaceous. Mezcal: piñas roasted in underground earthen pits (gives smoke character); broader agave species permitted; artisanal and ancestral production methods.

Neutral spirit produced from agricultural raw materials (grain — wheat, rye; potatoes; sugar beet; grapes; corn). Defined by high rectification to achieve neutrality. EU minimum bottling strength 37.5% ABV; USA minimum 40% ABV. Charcoal filtration removes residual impurities. Key producing nations: Russia, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine. Grain vodkas (wheat = clean/round; rye = slightly spicy); potato vodkas (fuller, more viscous mouthfeel). Flavoured vodkas are a sub-category.

Gin: juniper must be the predominant flavour in all gin; styles include London Dry (re-distilled with natural botanicals, no post-distillation additions beyond water + trace sweetener); Distilled Gin; Old Tom (slightly sweetened); Genever (malt wine base, heavier character); Contemporary/New Western. Production methods: maceration + re-distillation ('steep and boil'), vapour infusion, cold compounding. Anise spirits: Pastis (France), Ouzo (Greece), Sambuca (Italy), Arak (Middle East), Absinthe (grand wormwood + anise + fennel; thujone limits); louche/ouzo effect caused by anethole becoming insoluble on dilution. Liqueurs: EU minimum 100g/L sugar; examples include triple sec, Curaçao, amaretto, Kahlúa, Baileys. Cream liqueurs: include dairy cream + spirit + sugar (min 100g/L). Spiced rum: rum with added spice flavourings post-distillation. Vermouth: aromatised wine fortified with grape spirit, flavoured with botanicals (wormwood defining); Dry (French) and Sweet (Italian) styles. Bitters: high-alcohol spirit infused with bitter botanicals; Angostura, Peychaud's.

Glassware and bar equipment: highball, rocks, coupe, martini, snifter, Glencairn/nosing glasses and their appropriate spirits pairings. Service temperatures: aged spirits (Cognac, aged Scotch, Extra Añejo Tequila) served at room temperature to develop aromas; lighter/neutral spirits (vodka, white rum) served chilled. Storage: sealed upright, dark and cool, minimise headspace to slow oxidation; nama spirits refrigerated. Cocktail families: Spirit-forward (Martini, Negroni, Manhattan — spirit dominant); Short Sour (spirit + citrus + sweetener, e.g., Whisky Sour, Daiquiri); Long Sour/Collins (sour + soda, e.g., Tom Collins); Highball (spirit + large volume non-alcoholic mixer, e.g., G&T, Rum and Cola). Cocktail balancing principles: sweet, sour, and spirit proportions. Common cocktail ingredients: bitters, syrups, vermouth, citrus juices, garnishes.