Do You Smoke Primarily with Nose or Mouth or Both?
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I couldn’t imagine smoking a pipe without retrohaling. I also don’t inhale, I think it ruins the flavors to be honest. I do like French inhaling from time to time, it gives me an idear of what the room note smells like.
Smoke into the mouth and out the nose.
All of the above. learning the retrohale was really a game changer. It really helps to zone in on flavours and is basically necessary to taste what's going on if I'm outside and there is a breeze or wind. If I'm sitting in my porch or a non windy area I'll tend to do it a little less as I get that sidestream smoke.
The one time I tried to retrohale something weird happened and I felt a sharp burning in one of my nostrils.. so haven't done it again. Strictly mouth for me.
I would have to say both, but I enjoy running the smoke through my nose and retrohaling, gives me more flavor
This is why I can't retrohale much (like every 10-12th puff maybe) aside from the fact I'm like the kid in the parade always having to skip to get back to left, right, left as I've drifted off to right, left, right. Frequently smoking a bit hot and wet (getting better but still) makes the retrohale less tasty and more harsh. Still working on the entire process while enjoying and not forcing.
I retrohale pretty much the whole time, that's where all the flavor is imo ...it's a challenge for me to keep my Va's cool so as to allow retrohaling the whole way through without scorching my nostrils. C&D Yorktown is my current favorite for this, amazing flavors.
Puff-puff out of my mouth-breathe-puff-puff-smoke in my mouth-out through my nose-puff-puff-repeat.
Pipe never leaves my mouth. Never inhaling.
Pipe never leaves my mouth. Never inhaling.
I stick the pipe in my mouth. Light the pipe. Puff away slowly. I don't do anything that puts smoke anywhere near my lungs or my throat. I can taste what I smoke as my taste hasn't changed in four decades. I have never given this retro inhale thing a whole lot of thought. I guess it is whatever makes your experience enjoyable. We once had a former member on here called Haja that was into rubbing Dead Sea salt onto his pipe amongst other places and had a fascinating line in disposable lighters and other strange beliefs.
There is no way I'm getting smoke in my sinuses anymore. I've tried it but it just dulls my senses. I can get a different taste to the tobacco but after a few times I end up not being able to taste or smell anything for a while. Not and enjoyable experience for me.
This is where finding the proper moisture level for your tobacco blend is fundamental. Too moist and flavors are veiled plus the tobacco is difficult to keep simmering on that razor's edge.
Mouth only for me as well. I tried retrohaling once and my sinus's were a painful mess after that. Plus the nicotine hit me like Mike Tyson in his prime. Someone mentioned swishing the smoke around then letting it out slowly. I tend to do this and get nice flavors that way.
I think this is what I do. Being mostly a clencher I tend to puff away gently...small amounts of smoke go up my nose naturally rather than by design....especially nice when smoking Condor.
I generally retro hale the first few puffs from the light as those tend to be the strongest and most flavorful. After smoking for a few minutes I don't really think about it too much. I'd probably say 50/50. Give me a good strong perique retrohale like GL Pease Fillmore and it just reminds me of why I love pipe smoking.
I snork half the time generally but it depends how much perique is in the blend.
both. More through the nose though probably. I find the contrast between taste and smell very pleasing. In balkan type blends I find breathing through the nose only takes a good portion of the latakia out of the smoke, making the other components easier to distinguish. I give it oral Then take a sip again for a good dose of latakia at any given point in the smoke.
So given that tastebud mapping is very much pseudo-science written by a German dude in 1901, Tongue map - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongue_map, I'd take the advice of inhaling to taste ALLLL the flavor of a blend with a big grain of salt.
I like using the breathe method with a bit of retrohaling thrown in so I gotta go with both. Your mouth may taste but your nose influences those flavors more than your tongue.
I like using the breathe method with a bit of retrohaling thrown in so I gotta go with both. Your mouth may taste but your nose influences those flavors more than your tongue.