WSET® Level 2 Award in Spirits

INTRODUCTION

The tremendous growth in boutique spirits and liqueurs around the world is driving unparalleled innovation in the cocktail and bartending world.

The WSET® Level 2 Award in Spirits helps build the foundation of knowledge to understand this dynamic industry. In this intensive course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the most important spirit and liqueur categories; how they are produced and how they can be used as beverages and transformed as cocktails.

This course is ideal for people who wish to work in bartending, restaurant service and cocktail roles as well as those working in retail or wholesale sales. It also offers valuable professional development for people working on superyachts, in hotels and in hospitality.

You will learn about the characteristics that define the principal spirits and liqueurs, develop an understanding of the major international brands as well as new trends. You will learn how to make informed recommendations to customers or clients to meet their taste, quality and price requirements.

Course Duration

Complete the WSET Level 2 Award in NZSFW's unique full time, classroom based study option. Over four theory sessions, students taste a wider selection of spirits and receive significantly more tutor contact time compared with our part time study option. Designed for hospitality enthusiasts, this option provides a richer educational experience with higher academic outcomes.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• How to taste and describe spirits using the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits ® (SAT)
• The techniques used during the four stages of spirits production: processing the raw material, alcoholic fermentation; distillation; and post-distillation operations
• How techniques used during the four stages of production determine the style of a spirit
• How aromatized wines are made
• How a balanced cocktail is made and examples in four notable cocktail families (the spirit-forward, the short sour, the highball, and the long sour)

How local production traditions, coupled with local laws, are used to create different styles of spirits in the following categories:

• fruit spirits
• whisky/whiskey
• sugar cane spirits
• Tequila and Mezcal
• vodka
• flavored spirits (spiced rum, flavored vodka, gin, aniseed spirits, bitter spirits/amaro, cocktail bitters, liqueurs)

Find out if this course is right for you. Take the Level 2 Award in Spirits quiz here.

WSET Specifications

Please read the course specifications here. 

At NZSFW, this qualification has a minimum requirement of 26 hours of study time:

• NZSFW classroom delivery: 14 hours
• Self-directed study: 12 hours of personal study and revision
• A 1 hour 50 questions multiple choice exam

CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS

Please view NZSFW enrolment, transfer, cancellation and refunds policy here.