{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Mandy Naglich: Professional taster, author, and silent retreat regular","description":"Welcome back to Cheers with Nat \u2013 the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. We\u2019re continuing our four-episode mini-series from NYC! Today\u2019s guest is Mandy Naglich, an author, journalist, and professional taster. Mandy tells us about the daytime TV icon she aspired to be when she grew up, and the winding career path she navigated in pursuit of her passion for broadcast journalism. We also discuss what it means to be a professional taster and how Mandy became one, what inspired her to write a book about the topic, and how she trains bar teams with her tasting skills. The we get into Mandy\u2019s social media presence, her love of travel, how she stays grounded outside work, and more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On the why behind her book: \u201cIf I can help a couple people be more thoughtful about what they\u2019re tasting every day, that felt really exciting to me.\u201d On how scent makes us human: \u201cAbout 20% of our genetic code is dedicated to us decoding different aromas\u2026 Like what makes us human \u2013 what our bodies and genetic code is built to do \u2013 is to decode scents around us all the time. It\u2019s what\u2019s keeping us safe, it\u2019s what\u2019s letting us know what we\u2019re eating, it\u2019s what\u2019s letting us know what environments were in. So I think it\u2019s something that\u2019s so important and really ignored. And when you think of what\u2019s making you a person and what makes you different to the person next to you, so much of it is how we smell the word and we just don\u2019t think about it.\u201d On her social media: \u201cMy goal isn\u2019t to make these beautiful things, it\u2019s to hopefully communicate knowledge in a way that is memorable and \u2013 it\u2019s such a buzz word, but \u2013 snackable. Someone can watch it, remember what I said, and then go to a party and be able to repeat it like they\u2019re a knowledgeable person. That\u2019s what\u2019s important to me.\u201d On what travel gives her: \u201cWhat it does and [how] I\u2019ve seen my life change is, really, understanding people better.\u201d On why she loves silent retreats: \u201cWe don\u2019t realize how little silence is in our life\u2026 being in silence, I can feel my brain function differently. I love a good podcast, I always love learning. But I really try to monitor how much time I have someone else\u2019s ideas in my brain rather than my own brain producing ideas.\u201d   Links & things: What we\u2019re drinking: Mandy\u2019s \u2018special brew\u2019 (a tea blend made on the day at Nomadworks where we were recording!) Listen in to learn why tea is great for \u2018waking up\u2019 your palate for a tasting! Mandy\u2019s work: Her book \u2013 How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life Her other writing Her social media (don\u2019t miss the ice video we chatted about!) Her TV appearances Where she travelled (just in April!): Lisbon \u2013 visiting Red Frog and Imprensa groups Amsterdam \u2013 to prep for Europe\u2019s 50 Best Bars Barcelona \u2013 to judge the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge and speak at Barcelona Cocktail Fest Vancouver \u2013 for the North America\u2019s 50 Best Bars announcement Highlights from our last call round: Podcast recc: Experimental History Producer we need to know: Duvel Where Mandy wants to visit: National parks in the US & the Cotswolds in the UK Another awesome woman in drinks we should meet: Anna Sebastian   Recording info: April 2026 at Nomadworks in NYC   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email ","author_name":"Cheers with Nat","author_url":"https:\/\/cheerswithnat.substack.com\/","html":"