Description
WSET Level 2 Award in Sake
The WSET Level 2 Award in Sake focuses on how the ingredients used by brewers are processed and combined to create the many different styles of sake. It will also teach you how to describe and assess the quality of the sakes you taste.
If you are a sake or hospitality professional, you’ll be able to offer valuable guidance on selection and service to your colleagues and customers. If you are a sake enthusiast, you’ll know exactly what to look for when choosing sakes for any occasion.
In preparation for your upcoming course, please review the specification provided.
This course provides a textbook, tasting samples, and the exam. Upon successful completion you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin, and will be able to use the associated WSET certified logo.
Course Date and Time
Saturday, February 7, 2025 – 9:00 am – 5:30 pm GMT London
Sunday, February 8, 2025 – 9:00 am – 5:30 pm GMT London
Please adjust accordingly for your time zone.
Course Location
In-Person (Review lecture)
February 7th & February 8th, 2025 – 9:00 am – 5:30 pm GMT London time, with a 1 hour lunch break.
*Lunch will not be provided. Please bring your own packed lunch or purchase locally.*
Linden House
Linden House, Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6 9TA
IMPORTANT NOTICE
- Must be age 21 or over to register and take the exam.
- Photo ID is required for participation in the exam.
- Registration will close when the course reaches capacity or the enrollment deadline (January 23, 2026) has passed. Please be advised, late registration may incur additional charges for textbook rush order shipment fees.
- Reasonable adjustments may be available upon request. Please contact us at info@sakeschoolofamerica.com (temporary) for more information.
- *If you or your business is registered with VAT, you are eligible to claim back the VAT fees after submitting the VAT return.*
REFUNDS / CANCELLATIONS
If the student cancels their registration before tasting samples have been shipped, you will receive a full refund. If the student cancels registration after tasting samples have been shipped, we will not be able to refund you. However, you can apply your course fee to future classes.
PREREQUISITES
There are no entry requirements for this qualification. You must be of legal drinking age in the country where you are attending the course to participate in any alcohol tasting. However, this is not a barrier to successfully completing the qualification. Requirements may vary by course provider.
EXAM
IN-PERSON Exam:
Sunday, February 15, 2026 – 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm GMT London time
Linden House Hammersmith
Linden House, Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6 9TA, United Kingdom
Your exam will be assessed by a closed-book exam of 50 multiple-choice questions, to be completed in 60 minutes or one hour.
The grading scale will be as follows:
- Pass: 55% – 69%
- Pass with Merit: 70% – 84%
- Pass with Distinction: 85% or more
Re-sitting an Exam:
If you need to retake the exam, please email the school to schedule a retake at info@sakeschoolofamerica.com (temporary)
What’s Covered
- How to describe and assess the quality of sake using the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake ® (SAT)
- The ingredients used to make sake:
- This includes the ingredients that brewers are required to use and the ones they can choose. We also cover the varieties of rice that are used to make sake.
- Processing the raw materials:
- We cover how steamed white rice and kōji (a type of fungus used for fermentation) are made and how different styles of sake require rice with different polishing ratios and different styles of kōji.
- How sake is made:
- We explore all of the main techniques that are used from fermentation starter to dilution and packaging and how different choices are made when making the different styles of sake.
- Common labelling terms, including how some of the most important ones are written in Japanese.
Senior Instructor: Marie Cheong-Thong
Sake Samurai
Rectifier, Gin Guild
Mousquetaire d’Armagnac
Chair, British Sake Association
Council Member, Association of Wine Educators
Committee Member, Guild of Food Writers
Member, Circle of Wine Writers
Spirits Judging Committee, International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC)
Anchor Judge ADI (USA)
Panel Chair Asian Spirits, International Spirits Challenge (ISC)
Chair Asian Spirits Global Spirits Masters
Chair World Spirit Awards
President Judge Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
President Judge Mondial de vins blancs Strasbourg (France)
WSET Certified Sake Educator Level 3 (trained in Japan). JSS Certified Sake & Shochu, Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake School of America Certified Shochu Advisor, and Sake Advisor. BNIA Armagnac Diploma. WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits. Le Cordon Bleu London Diploma. Diploma in Marketing, Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK). Diploma in Market Research, Market Research Society (UK). BSc.(Hons), ARCS Imperial College London. Awarded a competitive scholarship in 2015 to research washoku, sake making and related culture in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Won the 2021 Guild of Food Writers Futures Fund bursary.
Born in Malaysia, Marie spent her formative years in UK, at boarding school then Imperial College London. After a mispent few years working in the City of London she took a tangent and did her Cordon Bleu and WSET Diplomas. Marie has presented on both sake, spirits and food to hundreds of people at major Food and Drink Festivals over the years. For over 15 years she has been on the International competitive judging circuit for wine, sake, spirits and food. Marie currently spends her days writing, presenting, judging and teaching.
