Ireland's leading provider of spirits training

Spirits training for your whole team

Private live online WSET and BNIA courses for hospitality teams, with tasting samples posted to each person and dates scheduled around service.

WSET educator engaging with students in a bright interactive classroom

Who it's for

HotelsFront of house and F&B teams who sell and serve spirits.

Bars & pubsBartenders and managers building spirits confidence and sales.

Distilleries & brandsVisitor experience, brand ambassadors and trade educators.

Distributors & off-licencesSales teams who recommend whisky, rum, gin and more.

Hospitality groupsMulti-site teams who need a consistent spirits standard.

How it works

Private team sessions run live online with a WSET Certified Educator
Tasting samples posted to each person before class
Dates scheduled around your service and roster
WSET (or BNIA) exam and certificates on successful completion

Hand holding a WSET-branded tasting glass of amber spirit

Courses for teams

WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits

€250 per person · one day (09:00–17:00) · live Zoom · samples posted.

Book Level 1

WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits

€550 per person (Ireland) / £475 (UK & NI) · two days · deeper Irish whiskey focus.

Book Level 2

WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits

Coming 2027. Ask us to register interest for your team.

BNIA Certified Armagnac Enthusiast™

€150 · live Zoom · seven Armagnac samples posted (Ireland & UK) · BNIA-endorsed credential.

Book Armagnac

Ask us about group pricing for your team.

Benefits for the business

Staff confidence when recommending and serving spirits
Better upselling of whisky, gin, rum, brandy and more
A stronger guest experience at the bar and table
An industry-recognised WSET or BNIA qualification for your team

Funding for Irish businesses

Training funding may be available for Irish businesses. We can help you explore funding options for your team. We do not make funding claims for UK businesses.

Trusted by teams at

Ireland's leading provider of spirits training — whiskey, hospitality and drinks professionals who trained with IWSI.

“A fantastic two days of training which has given me more confidence and knowledge for my role at Clonakilty Distillery and a greater appreciation of the wider spirits family.”

Ewan Paterson — Distillery Visitor Experience Supervisor, Clonakilty Distillery

“Nick is truly passionate about spirits and this was very evident in his approach to teaching this subject. The students enjoyed the classes with Nick and found his style of teaching easy to follow and understand.”

Andrew Langford — Shannon College of Hotel Management

How we work with you

Tell us your team size and goals
We recommend a level and dates that fit service
Tasting samples are posted to each person
Live online classes with your educator
Exam and certificates on successful completion

As Featured In

Press and podcasts featuring IWSI and our founder.

Wine & Spirit Education Trust

The Spirits Business International spirits industry publication

Irish whiskey industry publication

Limerick Post Regional newspaper

ThinkBusiness.ie Business and entrepreneurship publication

Whisky-Circle Austrian whisky publication

Whiskey Chats Irish whiskey podcast

What Our Students and Industry Professionals Say

Hear directly from the professionals who have trained with IWSI and discover how our programmes have shaped their skills, careers and industry experience.

“Nick expertly led the class through the course content, busting some myths and exploring the key information on each spirit category, including production techniques, labelling and typical characteristics. Tasting and evaluating spirits is a big part of the training… A fantastic two days of training which has given me more confidence and knowledge for my role at Clonakilty Distillery and a greater appreciation of the wider spirits family.”

Ewan Paterson
Distillery Visitor Experience Supervisor, Clonakilty Distillery

“Nick is truly passionate about spirits and this was very evident in his approach to teaching this subject. The students enjoyed the classes with Nick and found his style of teaching easy to follow and understand.”

Andrew Langford
Shannon College of Hotel Management

“Excellent course. I would highly recommend it to anyone in the business of buying, selling, producing or just interested in Spirits. Thanks Nick”

Neil Conway
Head Brewer, Waterford Distillery

“Thanks Nick. Interesting and thoroughly enjoyable day. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to develop a breath of understanding of spirit development and taste.”

Eric Flynn
JJ Corry

“Brilliant course! Nick is very informative, easy going, approachable and overall a great teacher! Having come in with a decent spirits knowledge, I honestly learned a lot from this and would recommend to people of all levels who want to learn a bit more about how to taste and discuss the world of spirits.”

Chris Hayes
European Brand Ambassador, Teeling Whiskey Distillery

“Nick expertly led the class through the course content, busting some myths and exploring the key information on each spirit category, including production techniques, labelling and typical characteristics. Tasting and evaluating spirits is a big part of the training… A fantastic two days of training which has given me more confidence and knowledge for my role at Clonakilty Distillery and a greater appreciation of the wider spirits family.”

Ewan Paterson
Distillery Visitor Experience Supervisor, Clonakilty Distillery

“Nick is truly passionate about spirits and this was very evident in his approach to teaching this subject. The students enjoyed the classes with Nick and found his style of teaching easy to follow and understand.”

Andrew Langford
Shannon College of Hotel Management

“Excellent course. I would highly recommend it to anyone in the business of buying, selling, producing or just interested in Spirits. Thanks Nick”

Neil Conway
Head Brewer, Waterford Distillery

“Thanks Nick. Interesting and thoroughly enjoyable day. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to develop a breath of understanding of spirit development and taste.”

Eric Flynn
JJ Corry

“Brilliant course! Nick is very informative, easy going, approachable and overall a great teacher! Having come in with a decent spirits knowledge, I honestly learned a lot from this and would recommend to people of all levels who want to learn a bit more about how to taste and discuss the world of spirits.”

Chris Hayes
European Brand Ambassador, Teeling Whiskey Distillery

The Student Experience at IWSI

Discover what participants have to say about their experience on our WSET Spirits courses, from the learning journey to the knowledge and confidence gained along the way.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum group size?

Ask us — we tailor private sessions to your team size and goals.

Do you offer on-site training?

Our team sessions run live online via Zoom, with tasting samples posted to each person. Ask us if you need a different format.

How do tasting samples work for a team?

We post a tasting sample pack to each participant before the live class so everyone tastes together remotely.

How does the exam work?

WSET Level 1 and Level 2 exams are online multiple-choice assessments under remote invigilation. The BNIA Certified Armagnac Enthusiast™ course has a 30-question multiple-choice exam (pass mark 70%, 45 minutes).

How long does team training take?

Level 1 is one day (09:00–17:00). Level 2 is two full days. Armagnac Enthusiast is a live online session with samples posted. We schedule dates around your service.

Is training funding available?

Training funding may be available for Irish businesses. We can help you explore funding options for your team. We do not claim funding routes for UK businesses.