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From: docstogiefresh
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  • Skip to 1:23 for the diagram

  • I just got into hand made cigars. In the past I had only ever smoked machine made cigars like swisher sweets. Next time I smoke a cigar or my pipe I will have to try retrohaling. Thanks for the tip.

  • I've been doing this for years with wine (immediately post swallowing) and before that with cigarettes for a short while, and now with cigars. I consciously knew I was doing it but I thought I made the shit up. I just didn't have a name for it. It works with wine also.. retrohale immediately after you swallow your favorite wine and you will really taste it like never before.

  • @burntwilly Yes, I've tried it with wine and spirits, too. Thanks for the reminder.

  • So, is this as patently unhealthy as cigarette smoke?

  • @Graynumber smoking anything isn't good for you. Arguably cigars are less bad due to the fact that you don't get any smoke in your lungs. Also, good cigars don't have a bunch nasty chemicals added like manufactured cigarettes. George Burns smoked cigars regularly and lived to be a ripe old age. That's not something you generally hear in regards to pack a day cigarette smokers.

  • This has got to be the stupidest idea i've ever heard of.

  • Anyone serious about cigars must look at this deal thompson cigar has going on right this moment, for $20 I just got a bunch of variety of cigars which was completely worth every penny! Thompsoncigar-PH16.Co.Cc

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  • I already do this, I didn't realize it was anything special.

  • For all those experiencing discomfort during retrohaling, I do have a little tip: When retrohaling, it's way more comfortable to slowly blow the smoke through your nose, instead of exhaling it at once.

  • Hey, every time I retrohail all I experience is a discomfort in the nose and set of burnt wood or plastic. This happens in all the cigars I try from $1- $10. Is that what you experience?

  • @DasCracker Nope, not what I experience at all. Try retrohaling only the last 20% of the puff and work your way up. It seems strange until you get used to it.

  • so would you retrohale every puff?

  • @DNABB2JACKSON Yes, I retrohale almost every puff.

  • Thanks a lot for explaining this technique doc! I'm getting wonderful new flavor out of my stogies now. Thanks!

  • For max flavor, inhale it and breath out of both your nose and mouth at the same time. You get the nice after taste on the back of the mouth and the smell stays in your nostrils.

  • I'd love to be able to do this without torturing the inside of my nose. It just huts too much. Maybe as I continue to smoke more I can work up to this.

  • @DMR90Guitar Keep trying, it will get easier. It is also easier to retrohale lighter bodied cigars. Keep smokin'!

  • Great video, Doc! I still can't master this but I'm trying!

  • i had my first cigar last week and i did this three times by accident.

  • whenever I have attempted to smoke a cigar my salivary glands begin to produce a large amount of saliva. What am I doing wrong? I would like to enjoy a great cigar but not at the expense of having to spit every 20 seconds. Any suggestions? Thanx

  • @JaKoSpeydz This seems more common with new cigar smokers and it seems to be more prominent with some cigars. It really depends on how the cigar constituents interact with your palate. It is nothing to worry about. and should not be noticeable when you continue to smoke more cigars on a regular basis. Until then, "to spit or to swallow, that is the question..." LOL. When at home, spit...

  • Not to mention perceiving flavours like spiciness - that's why instead of seasoning a steak I just snuff black pepper before taking a bite! Learned it from Rachel Ray!

  • Oh yes, nothing could be better for your palette than saturating your olfactory senses with cigar smoke.

  • actually if u dont use butane to light weed marijuana tastes better also

  • naturalcigarlighter.weebly.com Never use butane to light a cigar again

  • @TurfBoy100 thats for pot heads....

  • Doc, thanks for the tip.

  • is retrohaling the best way to tell the quality of a cigar? 

  • @MatthewLeeDay There is more to overall quality than just flavor, but retrohaling will certainly tell you all you need to know about the flavor of a cigar.

  • @docstogiefresh Thank you for such a quick response. I agree 100% with the flavor part. I have only started smoking for about 6 months now but what I noticed most between lower quality cigars and super premium cigars is how mellow retrohaling is with premium cigars. Any recommendations on a brand of medium flavored cigars? I really enjoy the Ashton VSG cigars.

  • Mother of God - do you not see what a giant DOUCHE you are ?

    (Retro-hale ... what an ass.) Enjoy your lip cancer moron.

  • @NSAisrecording Do you not see what a douche YOU are, just look at your comment. IF you dont advocate cigar smoking, then DONT WATCH something with the word "cigar" in it

  • If you are new or an expert with Cigars...check out the best website for CIGARS------ please google----> cigaropolis  ------>and leave a message on the guest book! ENJOY!

  • One more thing, just smell the cigar directly while smoking to get full unburnt aroma and not to mention Rosa's thighs. (assuming you are smoking thigh rolled cigars)

  • THIS IS VERY WRONG!!! Please do not do this cigar smokers. The sense of smell is a very delicate one and is easily lost when it is overwhelmed; case and point cigarette smoking. Using his technique you are guaranteed to destroy your ability to detect nuisance. People have been smoking cigars for 100s of years and the objective has always been taste without losing your senses, thats why its never inhaled either.

    Just smoke normally there is plenty of aromas to be had from the smoke around you.

  • I've been doing this for YEARS, but I did not know that there was a term for the practice. Doc is right, this is the best way to get the most out of your cigar. Also, I like to inhale through the nasal cavity while drawing through the mouth simultaneously. Is there a term for that?

  • Cigars are too harsh to retrohale for me. I only retrohale when i break out the hookah. I usually just let the smoke leak out of my mouth and up to my nose. Not sure if thats considered "proper" in the cigar world, but I think smoking cigars is about relaxing and doing whatever you want with it.

  • @graveforest666 Cigar smoking is not a healthy habit. But I don't think that putting smoke into your mouth is any safer than channeling it through your nose. The bottom line is that your taste buds cannot experience all types of flavors. There is no complete flavor without the olfactory senses and retrohaling is the best way to bring those senses into play. Regarding soft cigars, I have noticed that some cigars get soft over time but are not negatively affected by softness.

  • Thats how ive been smoking cigars and tasting wine all my grown up life. Throwing a taste around inside your mouth and noise is the best way to appreciate any taste and smell ! Its how you manage to linger what goes in your mouth long enough so particles are stable enough to be drawn up and exhaled up into you noise. I think all good cigar smokers do it. And wine drinkers.That why we can appreciate what we have and know what we have !!!

  • for the time being

  • Doc is correct of course, but I have a little something to add.

    Try not to overdue it.

    Try to use as little smoke as possible and retrohale it slower to get the flavors.

    This way we reduce the chance of causing damage to our nasal receptors.

    Rock On!

    :)

  • I saw this video a while ago with a buddy, and I tried my first cigar with my grandfather today. About half way through the cigar I remembered the guy with the hat haha. Wow it made a difference, the flavor of the tobbaco was so much stronger!! Besides, great day for a fifteen year old made better by you!! Thanks. Oh when I retrohale, do I inhale the smoke then blow it out through my nose? Or do I draw and the blow through my nose without inhaling?

  • @madeyalook94 don't inhale! unless you want to fell slightly nautious. Once you have drawn smoke into your mouth, your mouth is still probably in the sucking position. So, simply relax your cheeks and let the smoke flow to the back of your throat and breath out through your nose, the air will suck the smoke in your mouth up your nasal cavity and out your nose.

  • I gotta kick out of your diagram, it reminded me of 1950's television ads for smoking, headaches, etc. I like your channel and am subbing. What were you smoking?

  • @joesphx19 Thanks for the compliments, man.

    Other people have asked me what I was smoking and, to be honest, I don't remember. I know it was a BIG cigar, because I remember picking it for that reason.

  • thanks (:

  • okay. And thanks for the quick answer sir. but what is the program called?

  • @anderskd Garage Band for Mac.

  • what is the name of the song/melody in this video? (:

  • @anderskd To the best of my recollection, that song was from the list of stock audio files in a audio program that I use. I don't remember the name and, as of yet, I can't find it anywhere.

  • Hm, I always thought that retrohaling goes through the lungs so I always avoided it. Not to mention it burns! But I'll try that blowing out 75% of the smoke through the mouth tip. Can't wait to give it a try!

  • i love to stick the cigar in my crack personally..... then i retrofart and the fumes consume my body...... thats the best way and only true way to get every possible flavor out of the blend to come out......

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  • when i do this it makes my nose burn lol. i prefer to smoke, then open my mouth so some smoke comes out, and then breathe that in through the nose for flavor.

  • i smoke a lot of buddah and had my first cigar the other day, i was retrohaling i do it all the time with joints but the nicotine hit me so hard, i had such a bad stomachache and headache lol but its all good its a fun time

  • i like the name you coined up for this technique. tried to retrohal as much as the doc and almost died.

  • @riserclamp LOL! Practice at your own risk. LOL!!

  • This is retarded.

  • I think this just happens naturally and without trying when most people smoke cigars. I don't see why it needs a special name or lessons. I've always exhaled -slightly- out of my nose (not as much as you do though! If I do it that much it just burns my nose and I can't detect anything!). I think this is a natural way to smoke a cigar and doesn't need to have any special name applied to it apart from "smoking a cigar". My 2c.

  • Comment removed

  • a good technique...when I first passed the smoke thru the sinus I wished someone has explained it too me using your simplified aproach. If you're dropping a dime spot or more on a good stick, why not get the "most" out of it, right?

  • I just tried this with an Ashton imperial.

    Thanks for making a great cigar even better.

  • Wiresytem you are a idiot.

  • hey doc! thanks for posting this. i've been smoking cigars for several years and just started retrohaling the smoke. it really makes the cigars much more enjoyable. didn't know what i was missing all that time!

  • excellent video. I have entered the cigar reviewing world recently and am constantly looking for new and innovative ways to improve my perception of the cigar. Finding this video may been one of the most important techniques I've learned since learning how to light the cigar. great advice and thanks for the info. be sure to check out postclassnotes for cigar reviews updated daily! the link is on my channel

  • I love you

  • And What's Next??? Irritation of the sinus?? and Nasopharyngeal Cancer... Tsk3!!!

  • Can you say.....LUNG CANCER!!

  • @wiresystem Not likely, unless you inhale, which I don't recommend.

  • @wiresystem Ok how about.....Mouth Cancer instead of lung cancer?

  • @wiresystem he is not inhaling it and cigars not contain nearly as much nicotine as cigarettes........ not to sound rude but fuck off :)

  • @wiresystem your not suposed to inhale it will make you sick i learned the hard way

  • Do I still get a nicotine high?

  • @NineOhhSeven Sure. Because the nicotine absorbs through the mucous membranes of your mouth and nasal mucosa. However, inhaling will probably give you a bigger hit, and a bigger chance to develop an addiction to nicotine. :-)

  • I know you need to take care of a handrolled cigar (Humidor ect.) but do you need to do anything with a machine made cigar?

  • @LilAzzProductions Yes, you should keep machine made cigars in a humid environment. However, some machine-made cigars have additives that will help keep them moist, provide flavor, and aid combustion. However, the higher quality machine mades need humidity.

  • I know you have to take care of a handmade cigar (Humidor ect.) but do you need to do anything with a machiene made one?

  • I smoke myself and i have never tried cigar

    I heard that you shouldn't inhale the cigar is that true DOC?

  • @ClClBOOM True, you should not inhale cigar smoke. Cigar smoke is alkaline (has a higher pH relative to cigarette smoke) and as a result is difficult to inhale without severely irritating the respiratory airways. Also, because it is alkaline, it doesn't readily absorb as well through the linings of the lungs, but is more efficiently delivered via the mucous membranes of the mouth. The alkalinity, plus the bigger unfiltered particles, makes it more harmful to lung tissue.

  • @docstogiefresh so you dont need to inhale to blow the smoke out through your nose

  • @sheao50 No, you don't need to inhale to retrohale. In fact, that's why we use the word "retrohale" instead of "exhale." Exhale is the opposite of, and implies, inhaling. But retrohaling bypasses the lungs and the smoke gets channeled from your mouth through your nose via the "back door."

  • @docstogiefresh So you just put the smoke at the back of your mouth and exhale through your nose?

  • retrohaling is actually a very excellent way to taste good weed. I discovered this when i was smoking a bowl (carefully lighting it with a hakko so it the flavors are savored and not burnt up). And then i was talking to someone while i had a decent amount of smoke in my mouth(and lungs haha)

  • inhale cigar can make u feel retching,but retrohale not. do u agree with me Doc?

  • @nicolaswuwu I absolutely agree with you!

  • how many cigars do u smoke a day or a week? are u more of a big cigar smoker than a small cigar smoker? no criticism i love cigars my self

  • @64miguel Every week is different and each day is different. Like most folks, I smoke more on the weekend and more when I have buddies over. It also depends on the weather for me because I don't smoke indoors at home. Wild guess, 1-2 a day.

  • I liked your shot of the dog with the furnace in his mouth.

  • What cigar are you smoking in this vid ?

  • @ArseneWenger12891 Good question, I don't remember the cigar. But, in the video, it looks pretty big. I remember wanting to use a big cigar for this video, but I can't remember exactly which one it was.

  • Correction - back of my throat...sorry.

  • I definitely understand this. I can enjoy the aroma of a cigar without ever lighting it. By putting the end of the cigar to the back of my house and inhaling, the aroma is going up through the back of my nose and it's highly sensitive. It's very stimulating. I don't partculary like the smell of smoke, but this allows me to enjoy the aroma.

  • I always did it that way...but now i have the confirmation hehe ;)

    thx doc

  • Yes i tried this method the other day. I barely turned 18 i am a newbie to Cigars but ive been smoking for about 4 weeks now. The retrohail gave me a better full taste. At first it felt like my nose was burning inside but after 2 more hails i got used to it. Thanks Doc this vid helped.

    Java lattes ftw!

  • are you suposed to inhale cigars?

  • @4M1NT4K No, it is not recommended that you inhale cigar smoke. That's why I use the word retrohale, instead of exhale, which is the opposite of inhale.

  • thanks for all the vids on cigars doc. i am a new comer to smoking as i turned 18 not too long ago and i was wondering what the difference was between the smaller cigars that are cigarette-sized, and then the cigars that you smoke which are alot bigger. I was just wondering as I am trying to determine whether the difference in cost is really worth it.

  • Sometimes the smaller cigars are made from chopped tobacco, or scraps from long-filler cigars. These are typically machine made. Some of them can be pretty decent, and the difference in price is due to the difference in cost between the better quality tobacco used in larger hand made cigars. Also, the hand construction costs more. GIve the smaller ones a try and compare taste with long filler cigars.

  • woahh! tried it this morning with a montecristo cigar and its just amazing! im 14 and told a couple friends that i smoke with and they love it too!!

  • hhaha thanks doc really helpfull ...again =)

  • hey great video doc. you woudnt happen to be a member of puff would you?

  • Thanks amigo. No, I'm not a member of Puff. I don't have the time anymore to belong to any cigar forums. Life has just become too complicated and I don't have the time. Instead I have been spending more time on Twitter and Facebook.

  • ok cool. ill have to find you on facebook. you see to be ful of info and thats just what im lookin for. i just really got into cigars a few months ago so im still pretty fresh.

  • Look me up under Club Stogie Fresh on Facebook. Also be sure to check out my Stogie Fresh website.

  • @docstogiefresh hey man can i ask you if you also speak on the stimulation of cigar tabaco on the brain..also have you ever smoked backwoods?i feel they are the best cigar for extreamly cheap..of course they dont stack up to stuff like cohiba robusto...

  • love the vid...what is your favorite cigar..and what cigars do you recomend for an everyday smoke..

  • Thanks for the props. I like a wide range of cigars and don't have a favorite. As an every day smoke I would choose something like a Padron Maduro, J. Fuego Corojo No. 1 or Tatuaje.

  • Thanks alot, gread vids...

  • I discovered so cold retrohaling by my selves, it is worth to try it. But if You are not very experienced cigar smoker, be aware of that.

  • thought it was the mad money guy, i was waitin for a stock quote....hahahaha just kiddin good show Doc.

  • I mean i love my cigars as much as the next guy, but this guy is plain fruity

  • Good video. Snorting helps you learn how to retrohale. I did it the first time but now it is just 2nd nature (no snorting now). I really enjoy my cigars more. Hey Doc what do you like to smoke?

  • Thanks for the good word. I smoke a lot of different cigars and my tastes vary. I like cigars from light to medium to full. No real favorites, because there are so many great cigars being made right now.

  • thx to this vid, I could enjoy my cigar better. THANK YOU, SINCERELY.

  • Great Video. Although I learned this technique well before seeing the video I never really knew why it really intensified the experience and let me explore a wider range of the palate. Great video Doc.

  • I do have a question though it may seem a bit pathetic. you stated with retrohaling that you can start the exhale through the mouth and transfer through the nose at the end. I personally learned to start with the nose and end with exhaling the last little bit. Is there any significant difference in the way the palate develops or am i just blowing smoke? (haha could not resist that one.)

  • Channel the smoke through my nose? No thank you I prefer expelling it out of my mouth.

  • Blowing smoke through and out your nose is something most cigarette smokers learn to do immediately. It's one of the smoke activities that makes you look cool! Really! Makes cigar smokers look a trifle slow. Be that as it may, I enjoy the combination of mini biology class, word coinage history, and whatever else was informative. Thank you,Doc!

  • True, but the difference is that cigarette smokers usually blow smoke out of their noses after they inhale into their lungs. Retrohaling does not involve the lungs at all. In the lungs, cigarette smoke is "filtered" and thus, blowing the smoke out through the nose is less likely to represent the true flavor of the tobacco. It's a completely different experience to retrohale cigar smoke, which has a higher pH than cigarette smoke and therefore has a more significant impact on the olfactory bulbs.

  • I failed to mention that I smoked cigarettes for years(quit about 25 years ago) . Your information is helpful because my cigarette smoking and non-smoking friends are always speaking on that which they know nothing, namely smoking cigars. With your videos I can even more intelligently on cigar smoking when they come at me with their unsolicited remarks.

  • why is inhaling cigar smoke bad?

  • Cigar smoke is alkaline (has a higher pH relative to cigarette smoke) and as a result is difficult to inhale without severely irritating the respiratory airways. Also, because it is alkaline, it doesn't readily absorb as well through the linings of the lungs, but is more efficiently delivered via the mucous membranes of the mouth. The alkalinity, plus the bigger unfiltered particles, makes it more harmful to lung tissue.

  • are you a real doctor? either way i trust your advice.

  • Yes, I am a real doctor, but not of the medical kind. I have an educational doctorate.

  • I unknowingly "retrohaled" this weekend and did pick up a few flavors I wasn't detecting on my palate. I didn't actually do it as Doc described here, but the nuances I noticed were only when I blew the last bit of smoke out thru my nose. NOW I know hat the heck that was, and I guess I'll start retrohaling by design! Thanks for the vid!

  • Hi guys, Im a beginner cigar smoker. How much ash should you have on your cigar before you flick is off? Will the amount of ash affect the flavour?

  • I'd say you can tap off ash in 1-inch chunks. The ash helps keep the coal from superheating, which could make the flavor harsh and bitter. But you also have to take your time and smoke slowly.

  • When you do decide to ash the cigar, roll the ash off gently instead of flicking. Flicking it off takes some of the lit tabacco with the ash and you could end up with a cold, dank cigar, or an uneven burn, and you could end up having to re-light. I usually just let the ash fall on its own when it's ready.

  • this stuff makes my sinus's go crazy

  • ive been cigars in this manner for a long time before i saw this vid , i didnt know this teqhnique had a name behind it called retrohaling , lol learn something new everyday

  • lol i dont think it needs a fancy nam i was like oh hey what this lol could have just said to blow it out ur noes lmao i smoke alot of weed so i am really intrested in smoke tricks lol like the french inhale smoke rings ghost inhale and so on why the hell is it called retrohaleing????

  • Haha, well I tried retrohaling today, and I couldn't do it for some reason. I even tried snorting like an idiot...didn't help. I don't know what else to do. You don't take the smoke into your lungs...just direct it from your mouth to your nose right? I'm sure that i've retrohaled soda before...but that wasn't on purpose.

  • So, i always wondered, does it really matter what body a cigar is if you don't inhale it into your lungs? I guess you may notice it if you retrohale?

  • Yes, you can feel the body through the texture on your palate and through the retrohale.

  • Hey hows it going. nice vid. ive been smoking cigars for about a month or two. every weekend i smoke one to celebrate the weekened. how bad is it for your health?

  • It's the dose that makes a thing a poison. Once a week? Over ten or so years of that, you're looking at an increased cancer risk. Imagine how terrible smokers have it, a pack or more a day for years and years? Much worse than the occasional cigar.

  • "That may help, but frankly, makes you look like an idiot." hahahahaha made me laugh out loud

  • im new to this and u have gave me so much info thanks!!! u the best doc

  • Superb explanation! Your palate picks up so many different flavors! The Zino Platinum Crown Sceptre and the Davidoff LE09 and the AVO Comanero's are great for this.

  • This is an interesting video with easy and straightforward advice. But, I need to know what kind of magical stick you're smoking. It replenished itself to full size after being two-thirds done! (I'm on a budget).

  • Yes, that was quite a trick. I will never divulge my source for these miraculous cigars. LOL!

  • I thought that you werent supposed to inhale cigars.

  • your not inhaling the smoke into your lungs...you are pulling smoke into your mouth and expelling some of it through your nose, not using lung power to fill your lungs with smoke

  • This isn't inhaling brother, it is the finest way to pick up the flavor of the smoke on your palate! I highly recommend it, especially with limited edition smokes.

  • Champion

  • i had my first a while ago, it tasted like a camp fire, what did i do wrong?

  • What kind was it? Did you try purging the cigar? See my video on how to purge a cigar.

  • it was a band boy made by frankenmuth cigar co. i think i just did everything wrong

  • where do you get your cigars

  • i exhale by the nose with my mouth open it doesnt realy blows smoke by my nose it pretty more goes out by my mouth but i get ALL the aromas trust me i think its beter than just kicking the smoke out of your nose directly i think its just very strong and you cant feal no aroma

    but thats my opinion

    thx for the vid doc

  • Good Video BTW!!!

    Very entertaining and informative. Great Job.

  • DUDE you look like that crazy fuck from the Stock Market show Jim Kramer. LMAO!!

  • LOL, so I'm told...

  • Im a beginner cigar smoker. Can anyone reccomend what kind I get ? For my birthday I got some Davidoff Small Coronas. I tried one today and it kind of hurt my mouth after a while. Like the back of my throat was like a bit spicy or somethin. Am I doing anything wrong ? Or are these just too strong for a beginner or what ?

  • Often times a small ring gauge cigar will burn hotter, try a thicker cigar, which should burn cooler.

  • Thanks. Is there a certain type I should look out for ? I read that some kinds of cigars are better suited for beginners.

  • Shoot me an email. I can't really respond with a full answer with only 50 characters to work with.

  • First, I am not a medical doctor, but rather a PhD. Nevertheless, I do know a good deal about risk factors associated with smoking. Search out an article I wrote in the Cigar Advisor titled: Cancer Risks and Cigar Smoking: Also check out an article that I wrote in the Stogie Fresh Cigar Journal titled: The Critical Difference: Premium Cigars vs Cigarettes (it's in the Cigar Science section)

  • question, you are a doctor and you smoke cigars. any reason? i'm not trying to offend i just see a bit of an oxymoron here

  • That is not necessarily an oxymoron. So long as you understand the risks of smoking cigars, any educated adult, including those in the medical as well as dental profession that imbibing in these pasttimes are worth the risk. I don't necessary buy the hype most anti-smoking nazis foist on the rest of use.

  • I've been doing this for 20 years and never bothered to give it a name. Seems obvious. Don't need to close your mouth, by the way.

  • You dont inhale the cigar smoke you only draw the smoke into your mouth.

    theoretically you are not damaging your lungs

  • yes but u can get cancer n your mouth

  • this is true but i think the people who get the cancer of the mouth are mainly the big cigar chewers. For instance you never hear (or at least i dont) of people getting cancer of the mouth from cigs but you always hear about it from dippers.

  • does this feel weird to anyonebut me or do you get used to it after a while? and does anyone elses lips burn towards the end of a cigar or just me?

  • wow i always do this...i never knew it was a special term...hmm