Retronasal Olfactory Exhale (Retrohale - It's Science, you either feel like an idiot saying it or you don't.

[kyee]

It took me at least about a year to get this down (a long time ago), but after figuring it out, there's absolutely no other way to enjoy a cigar. maybe not on every puff, but at least every few puffs. You just can't get all the flavors that a cigar offers without smoking this way.

[ptrthgr8]

I believe most anybody should be able to retrohale, it's just a matter of learning how to release the natural valve that closes off your mouth from your sinuses. This is kind of a gross example, but this is the same passageway that allows one to snort hard when suffering from a stuffy nose and have the mucous drip back so it can be spit out. Perhaps a good way to practice would be without a cigar. Just take a mouthful of air and work on controlling the area towards the back of the upper palate so the pressure is released through the nose. While expelling air through your nose, it may help to press your tongue up to the roof of your mouth from front to back as if trying to compress the area where the smoke would be. Once you get that down you can try it with a cigar.

I'm still not getting it. But I will persist until such time as success is attained.

[Colt45]

I'm still not getting it. But I will persist until such time as success is attained.

Members have already given good instructions, but I'll add my two bits. First, as already mentioned, don't try it with a mouth full of

smoke - exhale half or more. Begin to swallow, but stop before anything can actually go down the throat. This will constrict your throat,

and your tongue will go to the roof of your mouth pretty much on it's own. At this point, the smoke is compressed - exhale out the nose.

This pretty much rehashes what's already been described. I'm one who get's little from it except a sense of pepper, and I kind of attribute

that to the irritation of smoke in the nose. No doubt smell is a big factor in tasting, but I for one can't smell anything when exhaling -

I sense aromas when inhaling via the nose.

[Roy R. Frush]

I'm still not getting it. But I will persist until such time as success is attained.

The passage that you want to control is normally closed. Learning how to hold it open may take a little time. Initially, you may find that you are only able to open it for a moment before it shuts again resulting in just a puff of smoke passing through.

You mentioned that you're able to exhale through your nose while holding a mouthful of smoke, so you're a lot closer than you may realize. You definitely need to exhale from your lungs to create the airflow that picks up the smoke as it passes your mouth and carries it out your nose. Try taking a deep breath and hold a small mouthful of smoke. Then cough from your lungs but expell the air through your nose. This should make the passage open temporarily allowing some of the smoke to pass out your nose. Once you get a better idea of just what parts are involved, you'll be able to work on releasing it without actually coughing and holding it open without it automatically sealing.

[ptrthgr8]

Aha! When I actually swallow a little bit it definitely opens things up a bit... I've managed to get some of the smoke out through my nose. Not much so far, but it does indeed make for a little more taste. Baby steps, I guess!

~ Greg ~

[paulF]

Practicing as I type on a 2010 RA exclusivo libano and man it makes a massive difference taste wise. Choose the cigars you practice with wisely otherwise you will be turned of it. Practicing on a fresh Partagas serie D n.4 was not a good idea for myself, way too strong !!

[AndrewNR]

I need to practice this too. Handy advice here to get used to.it. I always end up.inhaling then just blowing it out of my nose.. Generally that kills the experience

[cigarbreak]

What do you call this kind of smoking? (blue arrow)

I've used to call it "French smoking", but I'm not sure if it's correct. Anyway, that's my style of "retrohale".

smoking.jpg

I'd love to try a French inhale with a cigar but that involves actually inhaling the smoke into the lungs. I used to do this with cigarettes but inhaling a cigar for me is a no-no. If you're enjoying it like so, then all the power to you.

The other thing that ive found recently that has noticeably enhanced my flavour experience is to do a mixed retrohale where i'll blow out about half the smoke through my mouth, then retro a bit trhough the nose, and then release the rest through both the mouth and nose. I also noticed that if on the last part of the retrohale you move your toungue on and off the roof of your mouth like you're reaching hard to taste something, one can easily get a sense of the essential flavours that a marca and vitola has to offer.

Though i'm super noob status, that has really helped me find that defining profile of a specific cigar. FWIW i find the easiset way to retro is once you blow out a good bit of the smoke from your mouth, you then close your mouth and flatten your tongue accros the roof of your mouth while simultaneously blowing through your nose.

[Stogiedude3]

It certainly enhances my smoking experiences. I can taste so much more of the cigar by doing so.

LOL. I thought everyone did this?