A perfect whistle-stop tour of the most popular categories that you’re likely to encounter. Well-suited for complete novices who only need a high level understanding of the spirits you’ll encounter day to day.

Level 1 is not a prerequisite to study Level 2, so for those looking to ultimately advance their knowledge to higher levels, we would typically recommend to begin at Level 2, which requires no prior knowledge.

1 day

$340 Online / $365 In-person

A recommended starting point for most people, this is both a prerequisite for progressing to Level 3, and an excellent stand-alone course for the specialist retailer, hospitality professional or enthusiastic amateur.

This covers a broader array of spirits, delves deeper into the styles that make up the category, and begins to explore the production process in more detail, but still an approachable way.

3 days

$740 Online / $840 In-person

This is the gold standard. It’s tough. You either need a Level 2 or significant professional expertise to study Level 3. At this stage we get into the fundamental decisions that producers can make, and what impacts that has on style, quality and price. Content gets more technical, though luckily you don’t need a Chemistry degree to grasp it.

This course delves deep into each category, and encompasses styles not explored in earlier levels, such as Asian Spirits (e.g. Baijiu, Shochu, Soju).

This is recommended for serious industry professionals, or the most committed spirits nerds.

6 days

$1,425 Online / $1,725 In-person

WSET certification is recognized the world-over, from NYC to London, Shanghai to Cairo.

Formally recognized qualifications provide a proper sense of achievement for students, and a clear indicator to employers and customers that you have a guaranteed base of knowledge and understanding.

Plus, if you pass, you get a snazzy lapel pin, and a high quality certificate that your Mom can frame and hang in the guest bathroom.

There’s a great deal of “education” out there when it comes to Spirits, though most of it is driven by brands with a particular story to tell. Sometimes those stories can be incomplete. At other times they’re totally fabricated. Occasionally, they’re actually pretty good.

The WSET approach shifts away from extolling brands, and focuses on understanding the category in general (though may refer to brands as examples of a style), and at higher levels, getting into the choices that producers make, and how that impacts what’s ultimately in the glass.

Through the ‘Systematic Approach to Tasting’ you learn a framework that provides you a structured and analytical way to approach understanding what you’re tasting.

This shared vocabulary and common approach to spirits creates better groundwork for people to understand each other across the industry. It’s flexible enough that it can both provide you precise terms, while still allowing for personal creative flair in understanding and describing Spirits.