WSET Level 2: Spirits Questions and Answers 2024 Correctly done

distillation - Answer-a process that increases the alcohol content of a liquid pot still - Answer-batch process that produces characterful spirits of relatively low strength oldest, simplest kind of still; relatively inefficient = multiple distillations needed continuous still - Answer-continuous process that can produce very high-strength, neutral spirit, or lower strength spirits more efficient than pot still _____ strength spirits generally have more character from the base material, but have harsher alcohol - Answer-lower strength _____ strength spirits are lighter in character & smoother - Answer-higher strength direct from the still, all spirits are ______ & ______ - Answer-water-white & bone-dry most spirits are _____ to around __% abv before bottling - Answer-reduced (diluted with water) 40% abv _____ are extremely important in most spirits categories - Answer-Brands ethanol boils at a _____ temperature than water - Answer-lower heads - Answer-aka foreshots the most volatile components, which boil off first in a still contain undesirable components including methanol not used in the final spirit, returned to pot to be redistilledhearts - Answer-aka spirit follows the heads contains the highest proportion of ethanol & lowest proportion of undesirable impurities tails - Answer-aka feints least volatile components that boil off last & not used in the final spirit, returned to the pot to be redistilled most stills are made of ____ - Answer-copper when tasting spirits, more emphasis is placed on ____ - Answer-the aromas & flavors- especially in the finish when tasting spirits, pour __mL of the spirt to assess ____ & then add ___mL of ___ to assess the ____ & _____ - Answer--25mL spirits to assess appearance -25mL water to assess the nose & palate _____ in spirits is usually a sign of a fault - Answer-haziness adding water to spirits helps to _____ - Answer-release the aromas (do not swirl) aroma groups for spirits are very ____ from those for wine - Answer-different Brandy - Answer-wine that is distilled & usually aged Cognac - Answer-oak aged grape brandy from Cognac region (north of Bordeaux) made with copper pot still amber color, fruity, floral & elegant, dryArmagnac - Answer-oak aged grape brandy from Armagnac region (south of Bordeaux) made with continuous or pot still amber color, robust, with dried fruit aromas, dry VS, VSOP, XO (Napoleon) - Answer-indicate increasing age, but their meing is only legally controlled for Cognac & Armagnac Brandy de Jerez - Answer-Grape brandy matured in the Sherry region (Spain) pot or continuous still amber or brown color; dried fruit aromas; full bodied with medium sweetness (added sugar) marc or grappa - Answer-spirit from distilled grape skins or residue left over from fermentation Calvados - Answer-spirit from distilled, fermented apple or pear juice from northern France Eaux-de-vie - Answer-spirits Whisk(e)y - Answer-cereal grains > (starch converted to sugar, which is extracted & fermented) unhopped beer > (distilled, aged) > Whiskey - can be thought of as distilled beer that is matured in oak Scotch whisky - Answer-distilled & aged (minimum 3 years) in Scotland Malt whisky - Answer-uses malted barley only, distilled in a copper pot still Amber color; flavors depend on region but can include peat smoke, floral, grain, fruit, dried fruit, honey, spice & wood aromas single malt whisky - Answer--malt whiskey that comes from just one distillery -can vary greatly in styleblended whisky - Answer--a blend of several single malt whiskies & grain whiskey (a lighter style whiskey made using a continuous still) -the best are smooth & well balanced Irish whiskey - Answer-distilled and aged in Ireland generally smooth, unpeated & dry Bourbon - Answer-American Whiskey mainly maize, aged in charred new American oak barrels Amber color; cereal, vanilla & oak aromas; robust & some sweetness (from the oak)