Q: Is this the new Issue 3 curriculum?
A: Yes. Napa Valley Wine Academy is one of the first US providers approved to deliver the WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits Issue 3 curriculum, released February 2025. Issue 3 is a substantial rewrite rather than a refresh: a revised Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits® that gives structured emphasis to texture, and to quality judged through balance and expressiveness, plus a rewritten textbook tying production methods to style and consumer expectation. Both Issue 3 documents are linked on this page - download them before you enroll.
Q: Is the exam taken online or in person?
A: In person. The course is delivered online, but the Level 3 Spirits examination includes blind tasting and so cannot be invigilated remotely - you will need to travel to Napa, California or Cleveland, Ohio. Your registration and exam fee are included in the $1,450 price, but your travel is not. Plan for that from the outset rather than discovering it in week eight.
Q: When and where can I sit the exam?
A: Exams run in Napa, California and Cleveland, Ohio on the same dates, from 10 AM to 1 PM local time. Upcoming sittings are 22 August 2026, 13 January 2027, 3 April 2027, 12 June 2027 and 28 August 2027. Sittings are roughly every two to three months rather than monthly, so the date you can sit is a real planning constraint - read the next answer before you choose a cohort.
Q: Which exam date applies to my cohort?
A: The first sitting after your cohort finishes. If you take the September 2026 cohort, which runs to early November, your exam is 13 January 2027 - there is a longer-than-usual gap in the calendar between August 2026 and January 2027, so allow for roughly nine weeks between finishing the course and sitting the paper. If you take the January 2027 cohort, which runs to early March, your exam is 3 April 2027. Neither gap is a problem provided you know about it: you keep 12 months of course access, so you can keep revising right up to the day.
Q: What is the exam format?
A: Two units, sat in the same session. Unit 1 is the theory exam, 2 hours 10 minutes in two parts: 50 multiple-choice questions, then 10 short written answer questions worth 80 marks in total - six worth 5 marks each, three worth 10, and one worth 20. Unit 2 is a 30-minute tasting exam on two blind spirit samples, 25 marks each, split across appearance, nose, palate and conclusions. Exam time totals 2 hours 40 minutes, which is why sittings are scheduled 10 AM to 1 PM.
Q: How does the written paper compare with Level 3 Wines?
A: It is considerably heavier. Level 3 Wines sets four short written answers; Level 3 Spirits sets ten, and one of those is worth 20 marks on its own - a quarter of the written paper in a single question. This is the component that most rewards preparation, which is why our webinar programme includes a dedicated session on short answer questions and why we tell students to rehearse explaining production steps in their own words rather than only reading about them.
Q: What are the pass mark, Merit and Distinction thresholds?
A: 55% in each of the three components independently: 28 of 50 marks on the multiple-choice paper, 44 of 80 on the short written answers, and 28 of 50 on the tasting. Both parts of the theory unit must be passed for that unit to pass, so a strong multiple-choice score cannot rescue weak written answers. Your final grade is the mean average of the three components: Merit is 65 to 79%, and Distinction is 80% or above with no single component below 65%.
Q: Do I need WSET Level 2 in Spirits first?
A: It is not formally mandatory, but we recommend it strongly and would rather say so plainly: students who jump straight into Level 3 Spirits frequently struggle. Level 2 builds the tasting methodology and production grounding that Level 3 assumes you already have. This applies even to experienced professionals - if you hold the old WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits, we would still suggest Level 2 Spirits to dust off the cobwebs from the stills. Our Level 2 Award in Spirits On-Demand course is $599. All students must be at least 21 years of age.
Q: I hold other spirits certifications. Can I start at Level 3?
A: Possibly, and it is worth a conversation rather than a guess. Contact our Student Success Team at support@napavalleywineacademy.com and they will put you in touch with our Head Spirits Instructor to talk through what you already know and where the gaps are likely to be. We would rather place you correctly than sell you the wrong level.
Q: How is the course structured - is it self-paced?
A: It is semi-synchronous over nine weeks, which means a mix of both. The self-paced material - lecture videos, interactive activities, quizzes and a mock exam - is available 24/7 on WSET's platform alongside our own. Layered on top are five live instructor-led Zoom webinars at fixed dates and times, so the cohort has a real start and end date rather than being entirely open-ended.
Q: When are the webinars, and are they mandatory?
A: Five webinars of 60 to 90 minutes, held on Tuesdays at 12 PM Pacific / 3 PM Eastern, covering how to taste, an introduction to the theory exam, whiskey and sugar cane spirits, flavoured and fruit spirits, and a dedicated session on short answer questions. Attendance is not mandatory and every session is recorded, but these are where you taste alongside your instructor and can ask questions, so attend live if you possibly can. Your cohort's exact dates are listed in the What Is Included section on this page.
Q: Are spirits samples included, or do I buy my own?
A: You source your own bottles, and you should budget for this properly before enrolling. The course specification lists the spirits used across the qualification, and your instructor confirms what is needed ahead of each tasting webinar so you can buy selectively rather than all at once. Spirits are a genuine cost at this level - full bottles of Cognac, aged Scotch, Tequila and Armagnac add up - so plan for it alongside the course fee.
Q: Which spirits does the course cover?
A: Scotch whisky, whiskey in the USA, Cognac, Armagnac, Caribbean rum, Tequila, Mezcal, vodka, gin, Calvados, Baijiu and Genever, among others. Underneath the categories, the qualification is really about production - raw materials, fermentation, distillation, maturation and post-distillation operations - and how each choice shapes style, quality and price.
Q: How much study time should I budget?
A: WSET specifies a Total Qualification Time of 84 hours - 32.5 guided learning hours, which include the 2 hours 40 minutes of exam time, plus 51.5 hours of private study. In practice our spirits educators recommend budgeting closer to 100 hours, and we would rather tell you that now than have you discover it in week six. That is around an hour a day for three months. Reading the textbook and attending the webinars is not sufficient on its own, because the written paper rewards practice at explaining production steps in your own words. Look honestly at your next three to six months before you enroll; students who sign up during a house move or a job change often find the time simply is not there.
Q: How should I prepare before the course starts?
A: Read the Issue 3 Specification and mark your weak spots, revisit your Level 2 notes for a refresher, and once your textbook arrives, start reading. One piece of advice from our Head Spirits Instructor worth taking seriously: stick to the textbook during the course. External blogs, forums and videos tend to overwhelm and distract rather than help, because Level 3 is assessed against WSET's framework and not against the internet's opinions - and much of what is online still describes the pre-2025 syllabus.
Q: When do I get access, and how long does it last?
A: Your access links come from WSET Global roughly two days before your course start date, so do not worry if nothing arrives the moment you pay. You then keep 12 months of access to the online course material - lecture videos, quizzes and the mock exam - which continues well past the end of the nine-week instructor-led portion. That matters here, because your exam sitting may fall two months or more after teaching ends.
Q: Is the textbook included?
A: The digital textbook is included in your online course. A printed copy is optional and can be added at checkout or bought separately for $100. For exams taken after 17 August 2025, WSET issues digital certificates and badges rather than shipping paper certificates and physical pins.
Q: Who teaches the course?
A: Liz Pirnat, our Head Spirits Instructor and WSET Certified Educator for Spirits, who holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits and the Level 3 Award in Spirits. Her credentials run unusually deep across categories: Executive Bourbon Steward with the Stave and Thief Society, Master of Baijiu, and the Consejo Regulador del Tequila's “T” certification, with time studying at the Springbank Whisky School in Campbeltown, Scotland. You get a dedicated instructor for the nine-week cohort, not a rotating panel.
Q: Is there an enrollment deadline?
A: Yes. Enrollment closes at the latest 10 days before the course start date, because WSET needs to register you on its platform and issue your access. Cohorts run a few times a year rather than monthly, so missing a deadline can mean a wait of several months - book earlier than feels necessary.
Q: Can I cancel or move to a later cohort?
A: Yes, if you act at least 14 business days before your cohort start date. Cancellations in that window are refunded as store credit after a $50 administration fee plus the cost of any study materials and exam fees already committed, and one transfer per person per course is permitted on the same deadline and fee. Within 14 business days of the start, or once the course has begun, no refunds or transfers are available. Our General Policies page carries the full terms.
Q: What happens if I do not pass?
A: You are eligible to resit and you do not need to retake the course. Because the components are graded independently, a partial pass means you only resit the part you failed. Bear the exam calendar in mind: with sittings every two to three months, a resit means waiting for the next available date. Email support@napavalleywineacademy.com for the current Level 3 Spirits resit fee and the next sitting.
Q: Can I speak to someone before enrolling?
A: Yes, and at this level we encourage it. Email support@napavalleywineacademy.com and our Student Success Team will help you judge whether Level 3 Spirits is the right next step, whether you should take Level 2 Spirits first, what the spirits budget realistically looks like, and which cohort and exam date fit your schedule.
