Taste and Analyze
Become a more confident spirits taster
Become a more confident spirits taster and learn how to use a globally-recognized approach to tasting to analyze the appearance, nose, palate and quality level of a range of styles.
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits is an intermediate-level course is for those entering a profession in the industry as well as for enthusiasts who wish to broaden their knowledge in a structured way. You’ll learn about the fundamental production methods, principal raw materials and how they are used to make key spirit styles. You’ll also explore the key practices and principles of serving spirits and the use of spirits in cocktails.
You’ll learn:
- How to taste and describe spirits using the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine®(SAT)
- Major spirits categories and styles, as well as liqueurs, vermouth and cocktails
- The four main steps in spirits production
- What labelling terms mean
- Assessment and description skills as you sample a range of benchmark examples
- Basic principles of spirits storage and service and about cocktail equipment, ingredients, basic techniques and main cocktail families
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
Date: Mondays, September 26th – November 14th at 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Register Now!
Wine story
| Isa is an LCBO employee who is interested in the stories wine tell. Here’s own story: I fell in love with the wine world as soon as I stepped foot on a local vineyard in the summer of 2015. Up until that point, wine — as in bottled, labeled, ready to serve — had been something, almost more of an object, that I was familiar with showing up in cases at the LCBO I had been working at for 3 years. But stepping onto a vineyard and experiencing the vines, grape bunches, staff and machinery at work, sun shining on different plots of land… it all hit me that wine has a huge story to tell, which begins many years before I even got the opportunity to enjoy what I pour. I began taking WSET classes through IWEG in 2016, with WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and then completing WSET Level 3 Award in Wines in 2017. By this point, I had already completed an International BA in Trilingual Studies, but I was hungry for more knowledge in this fascinating field. Wine is one of those incredibly interesting yet frustrating subjects in which the more one learns, the less one feels they may know (at least in my experience). But the Diploma in wine has been incredibly eye opening and my curiosity is getting more and more sated as the studies continue. WSET Level 2 Award in Wines Gain knowledge of the principal and regionally important grape varieties of the world, the regions in which they are grown and the styles of wine they produce. The next course will take place Tuesdays, September 13th – November 1st at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Learn more. WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Taste and describe with confidence the characteristics of the principal wines of the world and give information on the key factors influencing style, quality and price. The next course will take place on Wednesdays, January 18th – May 3rd at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Learn more. |
Bolster my understanding
Kevin studied the Wine Scholar Guild courses. Here’s what he learned:
The goal for me with the Wine Scholar Guild (WSG) courses was to get a ‘diploma-level’ education without having to invest a huge chunk of time and money in something such as WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. The WSG courses were very informative and I felt the tests were quite fair. The online study aids (presentations and quizzes) were great in terms of studying the need-to-know topics, along with the textbook which provided a bit more depth to the material. I originally took the WSG courses to bolster my understanding of these classic wine regions as I make my way into the wine industry, but while doing so I also ended up meeting and connecting with some very cool classmates.
Italian Wine Scholar
Develop specialist knowledge of DOC and DOCG wines and appreciate the cultural context of Italian wine.
The next course will take place on Thursdays, September 22nd – November 10th at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Learn more.
Spanish Wine Scholar
Develop specialist knowledge of the DO / DOCa regions and appreciate the cultural context of Spanish wine.
The next course will take place on Tuesdays, October 4th – November 22nd at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Learn more.
French Wine Scholar
Develop specialist knowledge and appreciate the cultural context of French wine.
The next course will take place on Thursdays, March 23rd – May 18th at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Learn more.
WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
The fall 2022 in-class WSET Diploma program is sold out. Contact diploma@iweg.org for more information.
Learn more about the online WSET Diploma that starts on October 3rd.
The market-leading WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines qualification provides expert level knowledge and develops key analytical skills for success in the global wine business. Perfect for both the trade professional and the serious enthusiast, the course will arm you with specialist-level skills and experience, plus international recognition as an expert in the field of wine.
Holders of the Diploma will be able to identify characteristics of the principal wines of the world, make informed assessments of a product’s quality and value, and identify appropriate opportunities for the products within a given market.
You will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to underpin the job requirements in such roles as Food & Beverage Manager, Wine Buyer or Sales Executive.
The Diploma fulfills the prerequisite for the wine qualification requirement for entry to the Master of Wine (MW) program.
The IWEG experience
As the leading organization in wine, spirits and sake education in Canada, IWEG has offered the WSET Level 4 Diploma since 1988.
Our Diploma graduates over the years have gone on to become vital members of the wine and spirits industry in Canada and worldwide. IWEG holds the record for having the largest amount of Diploma graduates in Canada!
IWEG has been offering Diploma studies for longer than any institute outside of the WSET School in London, which means we enjoy a long history of student success. Our passionate and highly qualified Diploma educators, who come from different fields within the trade, provide on-going support to help you master the analytical tasting skills and supplemental theoretical knowledge necessary to succeed.