Thoughts on Retrohailing a Cigar…

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

I would enjoy hearing of folks impressions about retrohailing cigars.

I have smoked pipes for crouching upon 50 years, and regularly enjoyed retrohailing all that time with pipes (heck, I did so even well before I had even heard about or knew what the term “retrohailing” even meant ).

However, I am not really much of a cigar smoker (hell, probably I have only 3-4 cigars a YEAR). But, I have a research meeting (trip) coming in about a month where a few old buddies and I are planning to meet up at a fancy cigar lounge. This is one of those lounges that is “cigar only” so… unfortunately no pipes are allowed.

But, in thinking about this upcoming trip, I realized that in the very modest number of cigars I have smoked, I do not think I ever retrohailed any of them. Not really sure why not…. probably just because I never thought about it. But it seems like it would be similarly enjoyable (but perhaps a bit more bland flavor-wise, for at least the cigars I had seemed more “one note” than any pipe tobaccos I’ve had).

So, I am PLANNING to keep in mind to try to remember to retrohail the cigar(s) while I am there (at least until I have had enough to drink where I may forget again )…. but I would enjoy hearing your experiences if you have more cigar experience. Have you found retrohailing a cigar to be more flavorful ? More pleasantly nicotinic? More whatever.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I would assume most cigar smokers do though many of them refer to it as snorking.

 

[Murphestopheles]

It’s definitely a way to get more flavor out of the cigar, although I’ve found if I do it too much it can kind of burn my nose out and make it harder to taste things for a few days. So I typically only try to do it a few times per session. Thats just me though, ymmv.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Always do the few times I enjoy one retrohaling has always come naturally. Been having a very few this year - never really knew how they were supposed to be lit and so forth and stayed away from them for a long, long time - I used to smoke my Grandpa’s Tiparillos like cigarettes when I would snatch one from his pickup working on the farm as a much younger me, lol.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

My problem with Cigars, and pipes to an extent, it's I regular inhale them. I assume by retrohale you mean drawing the smoke into your nose after it is exhaled from your mouth. If that is of interest, you should learn the throat inhale as it will provide much more flavor.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I assume by retrohale you mean drawing the smoke into your nose after it is exhaled from your mouth

That's French inhaling. Retrohaling is allowing the smoke to travel from your mouth out your nose upon exhaling.

 

[Bbailey324]

I frequently retrohale cigar smoke. For me it increases the depth of flavors experienced. Same as when I'm smoking a pipe.

 

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

I would assume most cigar smokers do though many of them refer to it as snorking.

Interesting…. Had not heard the term “snorking” before.

 

[geoffs]

Have you found retrohailing a cigar to be more flavorful ? More pleasantly nicotinic?

All of the above.
Stronger, more peppery cigars can be tough to retro. It can also be more unpleasant as the stick burns down towards the end. Think I've burned out all the taste buds in my mouth, trying not to do the same with my sinuses.

 

[DanWil84]

Spice of tobacco I only get when retrohaling, no tingle in the mouth, tongue or front of the throat. When I smoke a cigar I tend to retrohale the last 10 or 20% of a draw, when I smoke a pipe I retro a full puff every 5 puffs. The cigars I generally smoke I can not retro the whole puff without watering my eyes. For pipes I could retro every puff if I want to, but being a clencher I don't; I can not retro with the pipe in my mouth. I look like a fool while retrohaling, I have to build a small presure difference in my mouth by puffing my cheeks a bit before I can exhale smoke through my nose. It for sure adds a dimension which to my opinion you need to get the full flavor spectrum of any tobacco, even a mild connecticut wrapped cigar for a bit white peper or virginias for the more grassy hay like notes are great to retro.

 

[LeafErikson]

I would assume most cigar smokers do though many of them refer to it as snorking.

Cigar smokers call it snorking while we pretentious ass pipe smokers call it retrohaling. That’s the type of shit that makes cigar smokers not like us at smoking lounges

On behalf of the pipe smoking community, I make a motion to adopt snorking as the new verbiage for retrohaling.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Cigar smokers call it snorking while we pretentious ass pipe smokers call it retrohaling. That’s the type of shit that makes cigar smokers not like us at smoking lounges

On behalf of the pipe smoking community, I make a motion to adopt snorking as the new verbiage for retrohaling.

I would've thought it the other way around. Snorking just sounds a bit lowbrow.

 

[EchoPlex]

I retro frequently on pipes (every other puff), but not much on cigars. I might retro 3 or 4 times during a cigar session to pick up on some deeper complexities, but it is not a full retrohale. I've learned to sort of do a half retro where maybe 50% goes out my nose and 50% out the mouth. I find this much more pleasant with cigars that a full on retrohale, which tends to roast my sinuses. I also only smoke one cigar a week vs. pipes every day. Even if you are a regular piper and haven't retrohaled a cigar, it can be a wasabi like shocker to your sinus. Go easy the first few times or take shorter pulls. It will definitely allow you to get deeper, more complex notes from your sticks.

 

[Coreios]

I used to do it every puff but after decades of Nicaraguan pepper bombs I now get nose bleeds if I over do it. Definitely more flavor though.

 

[Warlee]

Yes I also retrohale cigars. I actually smoked cigars regularly before coming to the pipe. I probably do it almost every puff but the trick is to exhale most of the smoke and only retrohale the last 5-10%. You get the additional flavor without watering eyes and burnt out sinuses.

 

[multitool]

I'm not a huge cigar smoker, but I do enjoy them. I do retrohale cigars, I get more flavors just like when pipe smoking. Just like Warlee mentions above, I also retro the last 10% or so. If I retro the entire mouthful of smoke, it's very unpleasant; or I'll take smaller puffs.