WSET LEVEL 2: SPIRITS EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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, dry
Armagnac - 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 style
, blended 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)
Tennessee Whiskey - Answer-similar to Bourbon, but charcoal-filtered, which adds
smoky aromas
Canadian Whiskey - Answer-generally large volume continuous-still spirit
Rum - Answer-Sugar cane juice OR watered-down molasses > fermented > distilled>
(sometimes aged) > Rum
White Rum - Answer-generally water-white with vodka-like neutral character, and dry
Golden Rum - Answer-gold color; often with fruit & oak aromas; dry or off-dry
Dark Rum - Answer-amber or brown color; often with dried fruit, spice & oak aromas;
generally full-bodied and medium or sweet.
Color often comes from added caramel, rather than oak
Tequila - Answer-Blue agave > starch converted by cooking, agave crushed and juice
fermented > distillation and ageing (rarely) > Tequila
Silver/Plata Tequila - Answer-unaged and water white, intense vegetable, spice aromas
Golden Tequila - Answer-unaged and colored
Reposado Tequila - Answer-short aged, some oak character and pale color
Añejo Tequila - Answer-a long period in oak, deepened color and oak flavors
softened palate with often muted agave character
Vodka - Answer-ANY fermentable base material. (cereal grains are most common, but
potatoes & grapes are also used)
Base material > (starch converted into sugar, if necessary) > fermented, distilled >
Vodka
only use column still; many use charcoal filtering; do not need aging
Neutral Style Vodka - Answer-continuous still
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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, dry
Armagnac - 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 style
, blended 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)
Tennessee Whiskey - Answer-similar to Bourbon, but charcoal-filtered, which adds
smoky aromas
Canadian Whiskey - Answer-generally large volume continuous-still spirit
Rum - Answer-Sugar cane juice OR watered-down molasses > fermented > distilled>
(sometimes aged) > Rum
White Rum - Answer-generally water-white with vodka-like neutral character, and dry
Golden Rum - Answer-gold color; often with fruit & oak aromas; dry or off-dry
Dark Rum - Answer-amber or brown color; often with dried fruit, spice & oak aromas;
generally full-bodied and medium or sweet.
Color often comes from added caramel, rather than oak
Tequila - Answer-Blue agave > starch converted by cooking, agave crushed and juice
fermented > distillation and ageing (rarely) > Tequila
Silver/Plata Tequila - Answer-unaged and water white, intense vegetable, spice aromas
Golden Tequila - Answer-unaged and colored
Reposado Tequila - Answer-short aged, some oak character and pale color
Añejo Tequila - Answer-a long period in oak, deepened color and oak flavors
softened palate with often muted agave character
Vodka - Answer-ANY fermentable base material. (cereal grains are most common, but
potatoes & grapes are also used)
Base material > (starch converted into sugar, if necessary) > fermented, distilled >
Vodka
only use column still; many use charcoal filtering; do not need aging
Neutral Style Vodka - Answer-continuous still
