WSET SAT Flashcards by Jill Goldstein

What are the five levels of color intensity used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Water-white
Pale
Medium
Deep
Opaque

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What are the levels of aroma intensity used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Neutral
Light
Medium(-)
Medium
Medium(+)
Pronounced

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What are the levels of flavor intensity used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Neutral
Light
Medium(-)
Medium
Medium(+)
Pronounced

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What are the levels of finish length used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Short
Medium(-)
Medium
Medium(+)
Long

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What are the terms for finish nature used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Neutral
Simple
Some Complexity
Very Complex

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What are the levels of sweetness used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Dry
Off-Dry
Medium
Sweet

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What are the Quality Levels used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Faulty
Poor
Acceptable
Good
Very Good
Outstanding

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What are the Colors used for describing oak-aged spirits in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Colorless
Lemon
Gold
Amber
Brown

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions for raw materials from grains, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Sweetcorn
Popcorn
Cornbread
Malt
Porridge/oatmeal
Husk
Rye Bread
Peppercorn

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions for raw materials from sugar cane, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Grass
Herbaceous
Stalky
Molasses
Caramel
Cotton Candy

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions for raw materials from fruits, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Raisin, Date, Fig, Blossom, Elderflower, Lavender, Violet, Apple, Pear, Apricot, Peach, Raspberry, Blackberry, Cherry, Plum, Marzipan, Almond

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions for raw materials from Agave, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Agave
Root Vegetable
Bell Pepper (capsicum)
Jalapeno
Herbaceous
Peppercorn
Olive

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions from production related to smoke, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Bonfire
Iodine
Peat
Seaweed
Smoky

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions from production related to fermentation, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Apple, pear, apricot, peach, banana, melon, mango, pineapple, jasmine, geranium, lilac, rose, chocolate, coffee, pastry, hazelnut

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions from production related to high levels of Group 1 Fractions, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Paint
Solvent
Varnish
Vinegar

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions from production related to high levels of Group 3 Fractions, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Cheese
Feet
Plastic
Wax

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions from production related to high levels of Sulfur, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Egg
Drains
Meaty
Rubber
Spent Match
Smoky

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions from maturation related to Wood, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Cedar, Sawdust, Toasted Bread, Char, Pecan, Sherry, Vanilla, Coconut, Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg

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What are some aroma and flavor descriptions from maturation related to the passage of time, as used in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Fruit Cake
Prune
Leather
Tobacco
Cacao
Coffee
Mushroom
Earth
Walnut
Polish

What are the three quality criteria for balance using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Aromas in balance with each other
Textures in balance with each other
Aromas balanced with the textures.

What are the four quality criteria for Expressiveness using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Aromas well-defined or generic
Textures well-defined or generic
How aromas develop
How textures develop

What are the categories of describing texture using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Alcoholic Warmth
Viscosity
Feel
Shape

What are some examples of terms used to describe alcoholic warmth using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Gentle
Glowing
Sharp
Aggressive

What are some examples of terms used to describe viscosity using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Watery
Light
Oily
Mouth-Coating

What are some examples of terms used to describe feel using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Soft Coarse Silky Astringent

What are some terms used to describe shape using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Hollow Linear Angular Round Full

What are some spirits that would be considered pale using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Oak Aged spirits with no caramel color added (Such as Reposado Tequila and Scotch Grain Whiskies). Flavored Vodkas

What color intensity are most oak aged spirits using the scale from the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Medium

What color on the scale from the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits are most oak-aged spirits?

Amber

What aroma intensity category on the scale from the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits do most spirits fall into?

Medium

What causes fruity aromas in spirits resulting from production?

Esters made by yeast.

What are some flavors associated with maturation in new oak?

Vanilla Sweet Spice

What are some flavors associated with maturation in Sherry butts?

Dried Fruit Orange-peel

What main type of spirit may be categorized as Off-dry?

Cognac

What types of spirits may be categorized as medium in sweetness level?

Some Sugar cane spirits

What type of spirits are considered sweet?

Liqueurs and some flavored spirits with high amounts of sugar added.

What are the three levels for quality criteria using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits?

Meets the criteria Could do better Does not meet the criteria.

What are the spirits that can appear on the WSET Level 3 tasting exam?

Scotch - Single Malt or Blended American Whiskey - Bourbon, Rye Grape Spirit - Cognac, Armagnac Sugar Spirit - Molasses, Sugar Cane Spirit Agave Spirit - Mezcal, Tequila Gin - Juniper forward, Contemporary

Which raw materials used in WSET Level 3 testable spirits have a distinct herbaceous note?

Agave Sugar Cane Juice Pomace

Which raw materials used in WSET Level 3 testable spirits have toffee and caramel aromas?

Bourbon Some Rums

Which spirits used in WSET Level 3 testable spirits can have a smoke aroma from production?

Mezcal Some whiskies.

Which WSET Level 3 testable spirits have pronounced ester aromas?

American Whiskies Rums

What is a differentiating factor relating to oak aromas between American Whiskey and Scotch?

American whiskey will generally have more new-oak and cereal aromas.

Which WSET Level 3 testable spirits may be off-dry or sweet?

Cognac, Armagnac (only off-dry) Some rums - Off-dry or medium sweet.

Which WSET Level 3 testable spirits have have a noticeable sharpness to their texture?

Cognacs Armagnacs Bourbons