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Specification

WSET® Level 1 Awardin SakeSpecification
WSET® Level 1 Awardin Sakewsetglobal.com

Wine & Spirit Education Trust
39–45 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF
wset@wset.co.uk
wsetglobal.com© Wine & Spirit Education Trust 2016, 2017
Issue 1, 2016
Issue 2, 2017 (update with minor amendments)
Issue 2.1, 2017 (update with minor amendments)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or
retrieval system, without the prior permission in writing from the publishers.

Designed by Paul Barrett
Editing by Cambridge Editorial Ltd

Contents
Introduction

1

1

Introduction to the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake2

2

Learning Outcomes3

3

Recommended Tasting Samples

6

4 Examination Guidance

7

5 Sample Examination Questions

8

6 Examination Regulations

9

7

12

WSET Qualifications

8 WSET Awards

13Introduction
This specification contains necessary information for bothcandidates and Approved Programme Providers (APPs) about
the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake.
The main part of the document is a detailed statement of thelearning outcomes of the Level 1 Award in Sake. These outcomesshould be used by APPs to prepare programmes of learning, andby candidates to plan their studies, because the examination is
specifically set to test these outcomes.
The specification also provides a list of recommended tasting
samples, guidance concerning the examination (including syllabus
weighting), sample examination question and the examination
regulations.
At the end of this document you will also find information on theother WSET qualifications and WSET’s qualification division
WSET Awards.

1

Introduction to the WSET Level 1
Award in Sake
Qualification Aims
The WSET Level 1 Award in Sake is intended for people who have little or no prior knowledge of sake.
It is designed to provide a sound but simple introduction to sake. The qualification will assist those whoneed a basic familiarity with the main styles and categories of sake, for example people who work withsake as part of a larger beverage portfolio, in the retail and hospitality sectors.
Successful candidates will be able to list the principal categories of sake, and state their defining
characteristics, and know the key principles involved in the storage and service of sake. They willconsequently be in a position to answer customer queries and provide recommendations for the serviceof sake.

Qualification Structure
Learning Outcomes
In order to meet the qualification aims there are three learning outcomes.
Learning Outcome 1

List and state the purpose of the main ingredients and the main production
steps used to make sake.

Learning Outcome 2

Name the principal categories and grades of sake as well as somespeciality styles of sake and state their key characteristics.

Learning Outcome 3

Know and recognise the processes and principles involved in the storage
and service of sake.

Enrolment
There are no restrictions on entry to the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake. Candidates who are under thelegal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the examination
is being held, or those who choose not to taste alcohol for health or religious reasons, will not beallowed to sample any alcoholic beverage as part of their course, but this is not a barrier to successfullycompleting the qualification.

Total Qualification Time (TQT) and Guided Learning Hours (GLH)
TQT is an estimate of the total amount of time, measured in hours that a learner would reasonably need
to be able to show the level of achievement necessary for the award of a qualification, it is made up of
GLH and private study time. GLH include all tutor supervised learning and supervised assessments.
The TQT for the Level 1 Award in Sake is 6 hours, all as GLH, this includes the 45 minutes for theexamination.

Recommended Progression Routes
The WSET Level 1 Award in Sake, or an equivalent level of experience, is recommended for entry to the
WSET Level 3 Award in Sake.

2 Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcome 1
List and state the purpose of the main ingredients and the main production steps used to make sake.

Assessment Criteria
1

List and state the purpose of the main ingredients that are legally permitted in sake production.

2 List and state the purpose of the main production steps used to make sake.

RangesRange 1: Main sake ingredients
Ingredients

Rice, kōji, yeast, water, high strength distilled alcohol (optional)

Range 2: Main production steps
Rice preparation

Polishing (impact on style), washing, soaking, steaming

Kōji production

Cooling rice, spreading the mould, initial mould growth, controlling andstopping the mould growth

Fermentation

Starter fermentation, main fermentation
Warm fermentation, cool fermentation (impact on style)

Filtration and bottling

Addition of high strength distilled alcohol (optional), filtration, dilution withwater (optional), bottling, pasteurisation (optional)

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specification

Learning Outcome 2
Name the principal categories and grades of sake as well as some speciality styles of sake and state
their key characteristics.

Assessment Criteria
1

Name the principal categories and grades of sakes and state their key characteristics.

2 Name some of the speciality styles of sake and state their key characteristics.
3 State the production steps that are legally controlled for the principal and some speciality categories
of sake.
4 Recognise Japanese labelling terms for some of the principal categories of sake.

RangesRange 1: Principal categories and grades of sake
Principal categories of sake

Futsū-shu (basic), premium

Grades of premium sake

Honjōzō, ginjō, daiginjō
Junmai, junmai ginjō, junmai daiginjō

Range 2: Speciality styles of sakeSpeciality styles of sake

Nigori, sparkling sake, koshu
Nama

Range 3: Controlled production steps
No addition of high strength
distilled alcohol

Junmai

Rice polishing ratios

Junmai 100% or less (rice used to make junmai is typically polished
to 70% or less)
Honjōzō 70% or lessGinjō, junmai ginjō 60% or less
Daiginjō, junmai daiginjō 50% or less

No pasteurisation

Nama

Maturation

Koshu

Range 4: Japanese labelling terms

Junmai

純 米

Honjōzō

本 醸 造

Ginjō

吟 醸

Daiginjō

大 吟 醸

WSET Level 1 Award in sake: learning outcomes

Learning Outcome 3
Know and recognise the processes and principles involved in the storage and service of sake.

Assessment Criteria
1State the correct procedures for the storage and service of sake.

2 State the common faults found in sake.
3 State the key considerations when making a food and sake pairing recommendation.

RangesRange 1: Storage and service
Storage

Keep it cool, drink it young, store bottle upright, avoid bright lights

Service

Serving temperatures (chilled, room temperature, warm/hot), warming
sake (waterbath, microwave), service vessels (wine glasses, o-choko,
tokkuri, masu)

Range 2: Common faults
FaultsOxidation, out of condition, nama-hine

Range 3: Principles of food and sake pairing
Key considerations

Personal preference, flavour intensity, sweetness5

3 Recommended Tasting Samples
It is recommended that candidates try the following selection of samples during the course of theirstudies. All samples should be benchmark expressions of their style.
●● Futsū-shu or honjōzō●● Junmai●● Ginjō or junmai ginjō●● Daiginjō or junmai daiginjō

A selection of three from●● Nama-zake●● Nigori●● Sparkling sake●● Koshu

WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake®
APPEARANCE
Clarityclear – cloudy

Other observations

e.g. bubbles, colour

NOSE
Aroma characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. intensity, faults

PALATE
Flavour intensity

light – medium – pronounced

Flavour characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. sweetness, acidity, texture, umami, rice particles, bubbles, finish

Copyright Wine & Spirit Education Trust 2016
The WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake® may only be reproduced with the written permission of the WSET subject
to their terms and conditions. For more information contact wset@wset.co.uk.				

4 Examination Guidance
Examination Administration
Examinations are conducted by WSET Approved Programme Providers (APPs). Administratively, APPs
must comply with the criteria and codes of practice set out in the Operating Handbook.

Assessment Method
The WSET Level 1 Award in Sake is assessed by a closed-book examination that consists of 30 multiplechoice questions, to be completed in 45 minutes.
All examination questions are based on the published learning outcomes and the recommended study
materials contain the information required to answer these questions.
A candidate is required to pass with a minimum mark of 70 per cent.

About the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake Examination
The WSET Level 1 Award in Sake examination paper consists of 30 multiple-choice questions. Eachquestion has only one correct answer, which should be indicated on a computer-readable answer sheet.
The examination invigilator will give the full instructions on how to complete the answer sheet on the dayof the examination. Each correctly answered multiple-choice question is worth one mark, and marks are
NOT subtracted for incorrect answers.
All WSET Level 1 Award in Sake examination papers are carefully compiled to reflect the syllabus. A chart
giving a detailed breakdown of the examination weighting is shown below.
Learning Outcome

Multiple-choice Questions(1 mark per question)

1

10

2

15

3

5
30 marks

Issuing of Results
Results of examinations are issued by WSET Awards as follows:●● WSET Awards issues an electronic all-candidate grade list to the APP so that they can communicate

results to their candidates. This grade list will be issued within two weeks of the receipt of completed
scripts by WSET Awards.

●● Subsequently, WSET Awards posts candidates’ letters and certificates to APPs, who are responsible forforwarding these documents to their candidates.

5 Sample Examination Questions
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust does not release past paper for the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake. In
order to give candidates an idea of the sort of questions that might be asked, this section includes fivesample questions. The examination consists of 30 questions similar to these.

Rice is a source ofa enzymes
b starchc alcohold water

2 Cool fermentation temperatures help to
produce fruity aromas.
a Trueb False3 What does 純 米 mean?
a Ginjō4 Which ONE of the following labelling terms
means a sake is unpasteurised?
a Koshub Sparklingc Namad Nigori
5 What is the recommended serving
temperature for ginjō styles of sake?
a Chilledb Room temperaturec Warmd Hot

b Honjōzōc Daiginjōd Junmai

1b, 2a, 3d, 4c, 5a.
Answers1

6 Examination Regulations
1 Entry Requirements
1.1

Eligibility
1.1.1

Candidates applying to sit the examination must be over the legal minimum age for theretail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the examination is being held,or be preparing for the examination as part of a recognised full-time programme of study, or
have obtained consent from their parents or legal guardians.

1.1.2 There are no restrictions on entry to the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake through overlaps withother qualifications or parts of qualifications.
1.1.3 Candidates who are under the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic
beverages in the country where the examination is being held, or those who choose not
to taste alcohol for health or religious reasons, will not be allowed to sample any alcoholic
beverage as part of their course, but this is not a barrier to successfully completing thequalification.
1.2 Recommended prior learning
1.2.1 There are no requirements for candidates to have previous knowledge or previous
experience of alcoholic beverages.
1.2.2 The indicative levels of literacy and numeracy required for the examination are as follows:
literacy: Level 1 of the UK basic skills national standards, or equivalent level of literacy in thelanguage used for the examination.
numeracy: Level 1 of the UK basic skills national standards, or equivalent.

2 Format and Results
2.1 T he WSET Level 1 Award in Sake assessment is a closed-book examination of 45 minutes’
duration and consists of 30 multiple-choice questions worth one mark each.
2.2 Results for successful candidates will be issued to APPs within two weeks from receipt ofcompleted scripts.
2.3 Results are graded as follows:
Mark of 70% and above

PassMark of 69% and below

Fail

3 Reasonable Adjustments
3.1 E
 xamination candidates who have special examination requirements, which are supported byindependent written assessment, are requested to notify the examinations officer at their APPof any such requirement at the time of enrolment. Further guidance for examination officers andcandidates is available from WSET Awards as required.
3.2 It is the policy of WSET Awards that such candidates should not be placed at a disadvantage inthe examinations. Candidates are responsible for informing their APP of any such requirement at
the time of enrolment.

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specification

4 Resits
4.1 C
 andidates may apply to resit the examination if they are unsuccessful. There is no limit on thenumber of attempts that may be made.
4.2 Candidates who have passed are not permitted to retake to improve their grade.

5 Examination Conditions and Conduct
5.1 It is a condition of entry that candidates agree to the following specific conditions for the closedbook examination.
●● At the start of the examination all candidates must supply the invigilator with proof of identity
in the form of photographic ID.
●● For all examinations, responses must be written in the same language as the examination
paper.
●● The examination is to be completed in a maximum of 45 minutes.
●● No reference is to be made to any material, in whatever form, other than the examinationquestion paper and answer sheet.
●● Once the invigilator has declared that examination conditions are in place, no communicationof any kind between candidates is permitted until they have left the examination room or theinvigilator has announced the end of the examination.
●● During the examination candidates are only permitted to have the following items with them;pens, pencils, erasers, drinking water and a small handbag or shoulder bag so long as it only
contains personal items.
●● It is prohibited for candidates to take any photographs of the examination room or
examination materials.
●● The use of electronic devices of any kind is prohibited.
●● The use of dictionaries of any kind is prohibited.
●● The use of audible ‘alarms’ on any clock or watch is prohibited.
●● Candidates may not leave the room until the first 15 minutes of the examination time haveelapsed.
●● Candidates who arrive after the published start time will NOT be allowed to sit theexamination if any other candidate has already left the examination.
●● Candidates who arrive late may be allowed to enter the room at the discretion of theinvigilator and only if other candidates are not compromised. Under normal circumstances
we would not expect any candidate to be allowed to start the examination if they arrive morethan 30 minutes after the published start time.
●● Candidates may not leave, and then return to, the examination room once the examination
has started unless they can be accompanied by an invigilator at all times while they are out of
the examination room.
●● Candidates who complete the examination early may leave the examination room up until thelast 10 minutes providing they do not disturb other candidates; no re-admission is permitted.
●● Invigilators have no authority to comment upon, interpret, or express an opinion on any
examination question.
●● Any candidate who is suspected of misconduct will be advised to leave the examination
room immediately and their examination paper will be submitted to the Examination Panel todetermine its validity and any future ban on sitting papers.
●● No examination question papers are to be removed from the examination room; candidates
who fail to submit the question paper with their answer sheet will be deemed guilty of
misconduct.
●● It is prohibited for candidates to reveal the content of examination papers to others, or
reproduce it in any way.
5.2 Candidates also agree to abide by the invigilator’s instructions. Failure to do so may render acandidate’s results invalid.
5.3 Examination papers and answer sheets are the property of WSET Awards and will not be
returned to candidates.

examination regulations

6 Examination Feedback, Enquiries and Appeals
6.1 C andidates requiring enquiry (re-mark) and/or feedback on their examination paper should
contact their APP and request an Enquiry and Feedback Form. The form must be completed andsubmitted to WSET Awards along with the appropriate fee within six weeks of the date of theexamination. Any request received outside this time-frame will not be reviewed. Enquiries andfeedback will be issued within two weeks of receipt by WSET Awards.
6.2 Any candidate dissatisfied with the result of an enquiry of an examination paper should contact
the APP and request an Appeal against Enquiry Application Form, which must be completed
and returned to WSET Awards, together with the appropriate fee, no more than 10 working days
following notification of the enquiry decision. Appeals received outside this time-frame will not be
reviewed. Appeals will be issued within two weeks of receipt by WSET Awards.

7 Candidate Satisfaction
7.1

 hould any candidate have concerns that their APP is not providing the service that theyS
expect, or is behaving in a way that is inconsistent with the standards required in terms ofadministration, tuition or examinations, they should first take this up with their APP. If this does
not lead to a satisfactory resolution, candidates are asked to contact our APP Administration
Team, appadmin@wset.co.uk. Please note that all complaints will be dealt with confidentially,
but WSET Awards cannot act on anonymous complaints.

8 WSET Awards Regulations
8.1 WSET Awards reserves the right to add to or alter any of these regulations as it thinks fit.

11

7 WSET Qualifications
WSET Qualifications
The WSET has a range of qualifications that cover wine and sake as well as spirits. These are developed
and maintained by WSET Awards (see Chapter 8 for more information). In full, the qualifications are:
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines (600/1504/4)
WSET Level 1 Award in Wine Service
WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits (600/1501/9)
WSET Level 1 Award in SakeWSET Level 2 Award in Spirits (600/1507/X)
WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits (600/1508/1)
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (601/6352/5)
WSET Level 3 Award in SakeWSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines and Spirits
More information about all of these qualifications can be found on the WSET website wsetglobal.com.

Who can offer a WSET Qualification?
WSET qualifications can only be offered by organisations approved by WSET Awards, known as
Approved Programme Providers (APPs), and candidates wishing to study for a WSET qualification must
enrol with an APP. The candidate’s relationship is with their APP and the APP is responsible for thedelivery of the course and administering the examination, which is set by WSET Awards.
Group study with an APP is the best way of learning how to taste, but some APPs also prepare candidates
for our examinations by distance learning.
A list of Approved Programme Providers (APPs) is published on the WSET website wsetglobal.com.
Please contact the APP directly to find out about their programmes.
If you are interested in becoming an APP please contact the APP Administration Team,appadmin@wset.co.uk.

8 WSET Awards
About WSET Awards
WSET Awards is the awarding body of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which provides quality-assured
qualifications that help people to know more about alcoholic beverages and to develop their tastingskills. The development and awarding of WSET regulated qualifications is the sole responsibility of WSET
Awards.
The UK government established a regulatory authority, The Office of Qualifications and Examinations
Regulation (Ofqual), which regulates awarding organisations that offer qualifications. Some WSET
qualifications are regulated by Ofqual the accreditation numbers are listed in Chapter 7.
WSET Awards operates a Quality Management System that complies with the requirements of
BS EN ISO 9001:2008 for the management of awards for qualifications and examinations in the productknowledge and tasting competence of alcoholic beverages.

Diversity and Equality Policy
WSET Awards fully supports the principle of diversity and equality and is responsible for ensuring that
all candidates for its qualifications are treated fairly and on an equal basis. A copy of our diversity andequality policy can be obtained from the APP Administration Team, appadmin@wset.co.uk.

Customer Service Statement
The quality and scope of service that customers can expect from WSET Awards is published in ourCustomer Service Statement. A copy can be obtained from the APP Administration Team,appadmin@wset.co.uk.
In the unlikely event of any dissatisfaction with the service received, please contact the registered
APP in the first instance. If the issue is not resolved, please contact the APP Administration Team,appadmin@wset.co.uk.

Scholarship Scheme
Scholarships are awarded for each academic year, which runs from 1 August to 31 July. Candidates whoachieve outstanding marks in their examinations may be eligible for a scholarship. The scholarships aremanaged by WSET Awards, and eligible candidates will be contacted by WSET Awards after the end ofeach academic year once all the results for qualifying examinations have been collated.
There are many scholarships on offer; please go to the scholarships page on the WSET website for moredetails, wsetglobal.com/about-us/awards-bursaries.
Please note that these scholarships do not take the form of financial grants to fund studies, but are inrecognition of examination performance.

A world of knowledge
Wine & Spirit Education TrustInternational Wine & Spirit Centre
39-45 Bermondsey Street
London SE1 3XF+44(0)20 7089 3800
wset@wset.co.uk
wsetglobal.com

Issue 2.1