WSET LEVEL 2 UPDATED STANDARD EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔What are differences in processing white grape pomace and black grape pomace? -
✔✔White grape pomace contains some juice, the skins are mixed with water and the
liquid is fermented. Black grape skins contain alcohol, they can be distilled immediately.
✔✔What is the main grape variety used for Cognac production? - ✔✔Ugni Blanc
✔✔What are the sub-regions of Cognac? - ✔✔Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne,
Borderies
✔✔What does the term 'Fine Champagne' mean on a bottle of a Cognac? - ✔✔A blend
of spirits from Grande Champagne (minimum 50%) and Petite Champagne
✔✔What are the two relatively rare features of a pot still in Cognac? - ✔✔Must be
directly heated with flames, must use a 'worm tub' condenser
✔✔What is the minimum length of maturation for a Cognac? - ✔✔Two years
✔✔Cognacs are typically slightly sweetened before bottling. True or False? - ✔✔TRUE
✔✔What are the three main grape varieties used for Armagnac? - ✔✔Ugni Blanc, Baco
Blanc, Folle Blanche
✔✔Why type of still is typically used for Armagnac production? - ✔✔Column still - short
column with relatively few plates
✔✔What is the name of an Armagnac aged for a minimum of 3 months in stainless
steel? - ✔✔Blanche
✔✔Vintage spirits are produced in Cognac. True or False? - ✔✔FALSE
✔✔What fruit is Calvados made from? - ✔✔Apples and pears
✔✔What is grappa made from? - ✔✔Grape pomace
✔✔What is grappa typically matured in? - ✔✔Inert vessels
✔✔What are the most important grains for whisky production? - ✔✔Barley, corn, wheat,
rye
✔✔What needs to happen in grains to create sugar? - ✔✔Convert the starch
, ✔✔What are the two techniques to convert starch into sugar? - ✔✔Malting and cooking
✔✔Which is the grain that undergoes malting? - ✔✔Barley
✔✔What happens during malting? - ✔✔Grains of barley are placed in a warm, damp
room.
As the grains grow the plant releases enzymes.
Growth is stopped by heating the grains.
✔✔What do the enzymes created by malting do? - ✔✔Convert starch into sugar
✔✔What is the name of the sweet liquid created after malting? - ✔✔Wort
✔✔Where can be Bourbon be made? - ✔✔Anywhere in the USA, majority produced in
Kentucky
✔✔What does the term 'mash bill' refer to? - ✔✔The combination of grains used in a
whisky
✔✔What is the main grain used for Bourbon production? - ✔✔Corn - minimum 51%
✔✔What are the flavours associated with Corn grains? - ✔✔Sweetcorn
✔✔What type of still is typically used for Bourbon? - ✔✔Column still - but the newly
made spirit is distilled to a low strength
✔✔What is important about the barrels used for Bourbon maturation? - ✔✔New charred
oak. This will add vanilla, coconut and sweet spice flavours
✔✔What does the term 'single barrel' mean on a bottle of Bourbon? - ✔✔A Bourbon
made from just one barrel that the distiller considers to be exceptional
✔✔What does the term 'small batch' indicate on a bottle of Bourbon? - ✔✔A higher
quality product made from a small number of selected casks
✔✔What does the term 'straight' indicate on a bottle of Bourbon? - ✔✔The whiskey has
been matured for at least two years in new oak barrels and that no colour or flavour has
been added
✔✔Where can Tennessee Whiskey be made? - ✔✔Tennessee
✔✔What is the additional process required for Tennessee Whiskey? - ✔✔The Lincoln
County Process - the newly made spirit is filtered through charcoal before it is aged
AND ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔What are differences in processing white grape pomace and black grape pomace? -
✔✔White grape pomace contains some juice, the skins are mixed with water and the
liquid is fermented. Black grape skins contain alcohol, they can be distilled immediately.
✔✔What is the main grape variety used for Cognac production? - ✔✔Ugni Blanc
✔✔What are the sub-regions of Cognac? - ✔✔Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne,
Borderies
✔✔What does the term 'Fine Champagne' mean on a bottle of a Cognac? - ✔✔A blend
of spirits from Grande Champagne (minimum 50%) and Petite Champagne
✔✔What are the two relatively rare features of a pot still in Cognac? - ✔✔Must be
directly heated with flames, must use a 'worm tub' condenser
✔✔What is the minimum length of maturation for a Cognac? - ✔✔Two years
✔✔Cognacs are typically slightly sweetened before bottling. True or False? - ✔✔TRUE
✔✔What are the three main grape varieties used for Armagnac? - ✔✔Ugni Blanc, Baco
Blanc, Folle Blanche
✔✔Why type of still is typically used for Armagnac production? - ✔✔Column still - short
column with relatively few plates
✔✔What is the name of an Armagnac aged for a minimum of 3 months in stainless
steel? - ✔✔Blanche
✔✔Vintage spirits are produced in Cognac. True or False? - ✔✔FALSE
✔✔What fruit is Calvados made from? - ✔✔Apples and pears
✔✔What is grappa made from? - ✔✔Grape pomace
✔✔What is grappa typically matured in? - ✔✔Inert vessels
✔✔What are the most important grains for whisky production? - ✔✔Barley, corn, wheat,
rye
✔✔What needs to happen in grains to create sugar? - ✔✔Convert the starch
, ✔✔What are the two techniques to convert starch into sugar? - ✔✔Malting and cooking
✔✔Which is the grain that undergoes malting? - ✔✔Barley
✔✔What happens during malting? - ✔✔Grains of barley are placed in a warm, damp
room.
As the grains grow the plant releases enzymes.
Growth is stopped by heating the grains.
✔✔What do the enzymes created by malting do? - ✔✔Convert starch into sugar
✔✔What is the name of the sweet liquid created after malting? - ✔✔Wort
✔✔Where can be Bourbon be made? - ✔✔Anywhere in the USA, majority produced in
Kentucky
✔✔What does the term 'mash bill' refer to? - ✔✔The combination of grains used in a
whisky
✔✔What is the main grain used for Bourbon production? - ✔✔Corn - minimum 51%
✔✔What are the flavours associated with Corn grains? - ✔✔Sweetcorn
✔✔What type of still is typically used for Bourbon? - ✔✔Column still - but the newly
made spirit is distilled to a low strength
✔✔What is important about the barrels used for Bourbon maturation? - ✔✔New charred
oak. This will add vanilla, coconut and sweet spice flavours
✔✔What does the term 'single barrel' mean on a bottle of Bourbon? - ✔✔A Bourbon
made from just one barrel that the distiller considers to be exceptional
✔✔What does the term 'small batch' indicate on a bottle of Bourbon? - ✔✔A higher
quality product made from a small number of selected casks
✔✔What does the term 'straight' indicate on a bottle of Bourbon? - ✔✔The whiskey has
been matured for at least two years in new oak barrels and that no colour or flavour has
been added
✔✔Where can Tennessee Whiskey be made? - ✔✔Tennessee
✔✔What is the additional process required for Tennessee Whiskey? - ✔✔The Lincoln
County Process - the newly made spirit is filtered through charcoal before it is aged
