Learning to retrohale a cigar is something that makes a whole lot of difference when it comes to fully savoring the flavors of your smoke.
However, it takes a little practice to get it right. Confidence also plays a part too.
Nevertheless, retrohaling is something that virtually any cigar smoker can master.
What is Retrohaling and Why Should You Do It
We’ve previously written about inhaling cigar smoke and whether it’s something cigar aficionados do.
Smoking a stogie is entirely different from lighting up a cigarette, especially when managing the smoke.
It’s thicker and more pungent than cigarette smoke, which is one of the reasons it needs careful management.
Retrohaling is about taking the cigar smoke into your mouth and then exhaling a portion through your nose again.
Also, the exhaling might be solely through your nose or your mouth as well.
Why retrohale? Because only part of the flavor notes of a premium cigar is discovered when smoking it.
Our taste buds are not fully able to perceive tobacco products alone.
Your nasal cavity allows for the fuller activation of your olfactory senses.
Therefore, allowing smoke to be expelled through your nose provides a richer smoking experience compared to not doing so.
Cigar smokers can also benefit from exhaling through their mouths too.
This still allows for an improvement in access to different flavor notes when done right.
Also, some people have bad sinuses with nasal passages almost continually blocked up. If that sounds like you, don’t worry.
Exhaling is possible through your mouth alone, and you still relish the full enjoyment.
How to Retrohale a Cigar in 3 Simple Steps
Successful retrohaling doesn’t usually involve taking all the smoke in and exhaling it through your nose.
The smoke is thick, and this can be overwhelming. It may make you cough too.
Trying to exhale too much smoke through the nasal passage is the biggest mistake newbie cigar smokers make.
Therefore, taking a deliberately lighter draw is the best bet.
Here are three steps to retrohale successfully:
- Smoke your cigar lightly to reduce the heat level and smoke volume. Draw the smoke inside your mouth.
Do not inhale deeply to the point where it’s going down your throat. - Let the smoke linger in your mouth for a short time. Let the smell and taste deepen to appreciate the fuller flavor of a premium cigar.
- Keep your throat closed and resist drawing a breath of air. Then open your throat as the need to draw breath becomes more pressing.
The pressure will allow you to expel smoke through your nose instead of your mouth.
This technique works for many cigar enthusiasts but is tricky to get a handle on at first.
A Secondary Approach to Retrohaling a Cigar
Another approach is to draw lightly on a cigar and partly exhale the smoke through your mouth.
Near the end of the exhaling, close your mouth. Then let the remaining smoke exhale through your nose instead.
By only letting a little of the remaining smoke pass through your nasal passage, you still appreciate the additional taste highlights while reducing the difficulty in accomplishing it.
This is an alternative and more manageable approach when the 3-step approach above proves too difficult.
How Often Should You Retrohale a Cigar
The frequency of retrohaling is hotly debated. However, most stogie smokers agree that doing it every few draws is sufficient.
How often you might do so also varies depending on the cigars you choose to smoke too.
For example, a stronger and spicier Maduro cigar may be challenging to retrohale.
On the other hand, a creamier, milder cigar variety can deliver richer tastes when occasionally retrohaling it.
The trick is to choose a method that works for you and an exhaling frequency that it’s comfortable yet relaxes you.
