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Spirits for sommeliers, level by level

Which spirits the Court of Master Sommeliers expects at each level, from distillation and Cognac at Level 1 to Islay and mezcal at Certified, with the key rules and a quiz.

Alper Billik · Advanced Sommelier

Updated October 2026 · 6 min read · Edited with AI

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On this page
  1. Level 1 (Introductory): the foundations
  2. Certified: recognise the specific types
  3. Advanced and Master: what comes next
  4. How to study spirits
  5. Quiz: spirits for sommeliers
  6. Questions people ask

The short answer: at Level 1 you learn how spirits are made and the main families: whisky, brandy (Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados), tequila, gin, vodka and rum. At Certified you must recognise specific types such as Islay whisky, Fine Champagne Cognac, marc and grappa, mezcal and eau de vie. Advanced adds anise spirits, akvavit and producers; the Master Sommelier Diploma adds regulations, distillery locations and brand detail. Here is each step, with the facts to know.

Level 1 (Introductory): the foundations

Distillation separates alcohol from a fermented liquid by heating it: alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, so the vapour is richer in alcohol and is condensed back into liquid. Two kinds of still:

  • Pot still: one batch at a time, usually distilled twice. Keeps more flavour. Used for malt whisky and Cognac.
  • Column (continuous) still: runs non-stop and can reach a higher, purer strength. Used for grain whisky, most vodka and many rums.
  • Heads, hearts and tails: the distiller keeps the heart of the run and separates the first (heads) and last (tails) parts.
Scotch whisky
Made fromMalted barley (malt); other cereals (grain)
Key rules to knowAt least 3 years in oak in Scotland. Single malt: malted barley, pot stills, one distillery. Blended: malt and grain whiskies together
Irish whiskey
Made fromBarley, malted and unmalted, and other cereals
Key rules to knowAt least 3 years on the island of Ireland. Types: single malt, single pot still, single grain, blended. Often triple distilled
US whiskey
Made fromCorn, rye, wheat, barley
Key rules to knowBourbon: at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak; straight: at least 2 years. Rye: at least 51% rye. Tennessee: filtered through maple charcoal
Cognac
Made fromWhite grapes, mainly Ugni Blanc
Key rules to knowDouble distilled in copper pot stills; aged in oak. VS at least 2 years, VSOP 4, XO 10
Armagnac
Made fromWhite grapes, including Ugni Blanc, Baco, Folle Blanche, Colombard
Key rules to knowMostly a single distillation in a column still (the alambic armagnacais); pot stills also allowed. Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze, Haut-Armagnac
Calvados
Made fromCider apples and perry pears, Normandy
Key rules to knowAt least 2 years in oak. Calvados Pays d'Auge is double distilled in pot stills
Tequila
Made fromBlue Weber agave, Mexico (Jalisco and parts of four other states)
Key rules to know100% agave or at least 51% agave. Blanco; reposado at least 2 months in oak; añejo at least 1 year; extra añejo at least 3 years
Gin
Made fromNeutral spirit flavoured with botanicals
Key rules to knowJuniper must lead. London Dry: flavoured by distillation, nothing added after except water and a tiny amount of sugar
Vodka
Made fromAny agricultural raw material: grain, potato, others
Key rules to knowDistilled and filtered to be neutral
Rum
Made fromSugar cane: molasses or fresh juice
Key rules to knowStyles from light (column) to full-bodied (pot); rhum agricole is from fresh cane juice

Certified: recognise the specific types

  • Islay whisky: single malts from the island of Islay, many of them strongly peated: smoke, iodine, sea spray. Peat smoke dries the malted barley.
  • Fine Champagne: a Cognac blended only from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, with at least half Grande Champagne. Nothing to do with the wine region of Champagne.
  • Armagnac: know the three areas, with Bas-Armagnac the most famous, and that vintage-dated Armagnacs are common.
  • Marc and grappa: spirits distilled from pomace, the skins, pips and stems left after winemaking. Marc is French (Marc de Bourgogne, Marc de Champagne); grappa is Italian.
  • Tequila vs mezcal: tequila is Blue Weber agave, mostly steam-cooked. Mezcal can use many agave species and is traditionally roasted in earth pits, giving smoke; most comes from Oaxaca.
  • Eau de vie: clear fruit brandy from fermented fruit, such as kirsch (cherry), poire Williams (pear), framboise (raspberry, often by maceration in spirit), usually unaged to keep the fruit pure.

At Certified, spirits also appear in the service exam through cocktails. Practise the classics in gin cocktails for the Certified exam.

Advanced and Master: what comes next

  • Advanced: anise spirits (pastis from France, ouzo from Greece, raki from Türkiye), akvavit from Scandinavia (caraway or dill), flavoured vodkas, eaux de vie, marc and grappa in depth, mezcal, and the principal producers and brands of every type.
  • Master Sommelier Diploma: rum production and producers, Eastern European spirits, the local names for fruit spirits across countries, technical production of major brands, the regulations, where Scotland's distilleries are, and the ageing rules of every major spirit.

How to study spirits

  • Learn by raw material: grain, grape, fruit, agave, cane. Every spirit sits on that map.
  • Then by still: pot or column. It explains most of the style.
  • Taste in pairs: a Speyside malt and an Islay malt; tequila and mezcal; Cognac and Armagnac.
  • Learn the numbers once: 3 years for Scotch and Irish; 51% corn for bourbon; VS 2, VSOP 4, XO 10 for Cognac.
  • Then test yourself in the Level 1 practice test and the Certified practice test.

Quiz: spirits for sommeliers

Question 1

What is the minimum age for Scotch whisky?

  1. a)1 year
  2. b)2 years
  3. c)3 years
  4. d)5 years
Show answer

c) 3 years. Scotch must mature for at least three years in oak casks in Scotland.

Question 2

Bourbon must be made from at least what share of corn?

  1. a)25%
  2. b)51%
  3. c)75%
  4. d)100%
Show answer

b) 51%. Bourbon needs at least 51% corn and is aged in new charred oak containers.

Question 3

Fine Champagne Cognac is a blend of which two areas?

  1. a)Borderies and Fins Bois
  2. b)Grande and Petite Champagne
  3. c)Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires
  4. d)Grande Champagne and Borderies
Show answer

b) Grande and Petite Champagne. Fine Champagne blends Grande and Petite Champagne, with at least 50% Grande Champagne.

Question 4

What is the minimum age of an XO Cognac today?

  1. a)4 years
  2. b)6 years
  3. c)10 years
  4. d)20 years
Show answer

c) 10 years. Since 2018, XO Cognac must be at least ten years old.

Question 5

Grappa is distilled from:

  1. a)Wine
  2. b)Grape pomace
  3. c)Apples
  4. d)Cherries
Show answer

b) Grape pomace. Grappa, like French marc, is made from the skins, pips and stems left after winemaking.

Question 6

Tequila must be made from which agave?

  1. a)Espadín
  2. b)Blue Weber
  3. c)Tobalá
  4. d)Any agave
Show answer

b) Blue Weber. Tequila uses Blue Weber agave; mezcal may use many species, Espadín the most common.

Question 7

Islay single malts are best known for:

  1. a)Sherry-cask sweetness
  2. b)Peat smoke
  3. c)Corn sweetness
  4. d)Juniper
Show answer

b) Peat smoke. Many Islay malts use heavily peated barley, giving smoky, medicinal notes.

Question 8

Which still is traditional for Armagnac?

  1. a)A double copper pot still
  2. b)A single continuous column still
  3. c)A Coffey still for grain
  4. d)No still: it is a liqueur
Show answer

b) A single continuous column still. Most Armagnac is distilled once in the column-type alambic armagnacais, though pot stills are allowed.

Quiz me with SOMM DIGI AILevel 1 practice test

Questions people ask

Are spirits on the Level 1 sommelier exam?

Yes. The Court's Introductory syllabus lists distillation, Scotch, Irish and US whiskey, Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, tequila, gin, vodka and rum.

What is the difference between Cognac and Armagnac?

Both are French grape brandies aged in oak. Cognac is double distilled in copper pot stills; most Armagnac is distilled once in a column still, giving a fuller, more rustic spirit.

What is the difference between tequila and mezcal?

Tequila uses only Blue Weber agave, mostly steam-cooked; mezcal can use many agave species and is traditionally roasted in earth pits, which gives smoke.

Do sommeliers need to know spirit brands?

From the Advanced level, yes: the Court's syllabus lists principal producers and brands. At Level 1 and Certified, the focus is on types and production.

Your exam kit

Where to study for your exam

The Court of Master Sommeliers Learning PortalOfficial · freeThe Court's Learning PortalOpen the portal SOMM DIGI AI's free sommelier practice testPractice · freeSOMM DIGI AIPractise now
Sommelier Prep BookMy book · AmazonSommelier Prep BookQuick questions and answers for a break at work.Order on Amazon Sommelier Level 1 Prep BookMy book · AmazonSommelier Level 1 Prep BookLevel 1's key topics in one small book you can carry anywhere.Order on Amazon

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