Description

We are now offering a Shochu Adviser Course.

Prepare yourself for a career in the restaurant, beverage, or food industry with our Certified Shochu Adviser course. This course provides the fundamental background knowledge on shochu ingredients, history, and production. Students will gain the ability to speak about varieties of shochu. This interactive course features shochu tasting and discussion, so you can develop your knowledge about shochu with first-hand experience.

Course Date and Time

Sunday, October 12, 2025 – 9:00AM – 5:30PM GMT London

Course Location

In-Person (Review lecture)

Sunday, October 12, 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 (October 7, 2025) 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

Online Exam: Sunday, October 19, 2025 – 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm GMT London time

The 1-hour written exam is comprised of 100 multiple choice questions covering the textbook and lecture content. Blind tasting exam is not included at the Shochu Adviser level.

Note: The examination requires a minimum mark of 75% to pass.

Main Concepts

• • The history of shochu in Japan
  • Shochu ingredients and production methods
  • Shochu terminology and reading shochu labels
  • The principles behind the storage, selection, and service of shochu
  • Overview of shochu tasting and analysis

Study Support

• All students will receive a review guide for course preparation support. We encourage students to contact us in advance of the course if they have questions about their course materials.

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 Wtiters
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.