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Discussion: The Retro Hale

Discussion: The Retro Hale

Happy Monday, folks! 

I had an interesting conversation with someone yesterday regarding whether or not retro haling was a necessary technique for cigar enthusiasts. 

Do you retro hale? Do you believe it’s a necessary skill?

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For those that aren’t sure what it means, retro haling is a technique used to taste more from a cigar. It involves pushing a portion of the smoke through the nasal cavity and out the nostrils.  If you’ve never tried it, give it a whirl after blowing most of the smoke out from your mouth before diverting some of it to your nose. 

Retro haling is equally as useful for dialing in tasting descriptors as it is in experiencing completely new flavors from a cigar.  Sometimes you’ll hit pay dirt on a cigar that really comes alive in the nose.  Sometimes you’ll find that a cigar is overwhelming when retro haled.  Like anything else with cigars, the experience will change entirely with each person and/or each cigar.  

Considering just how important the nose is for our sense of taste, I do believe it to be a beneficial technique for any cigar enthusiast.  I don’t, however, believe it to be a necessary one.   

How to Smoke a Cigar and Retro Hale

I used to be surprised when I heard of an insider that didn’t retro hale, but now I think it may be the norm overall.  It seems less common outside the U.S. in my anecdotal experience, and it certainly seems to be a technique understood by a minority of Americans.  Coincidentally, I find the practice of retro haling to be especially beneficial in milder cigars that are more prevalent outside the U.S. 

Bottom Line: if you have never tried it before, it’s definitely worth the time and effort to figure out how to do it.  But if you have tried it in the past and weren’t a fan, there’s no shame in that! Our hobby allows for a significant amount of personal choice. 

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Comments

5/6/2019 2:26 PM
Definitely something I didn't know or understand when I first started smoking! I tend to retro hale every few puffs on most cigars.
5/6/2019 2:39 PM
It’s an invaluable tool.  I lost some sense of taste post tonsillectomy.  The retro hale makes up for that and then some!
5/6/2019 4:27 PM
I wish I could do it better.  Spring time brings allergies too so that doesn't help.
5/6/2019 4:28 PM
"For first time smokers, I tell them don't inhale the smoke ever.  Puff the cigar blow out 95% of the smoke and push the last 5% of smoke through their nose. That is how the blender intended the flavors to be tasted. And also some cigars are smoother through the nose, allowing you to blow out 90%or less out the mouth slowly ,and blow out 10% or more throught the nose without it burning your sinuses."
5-6-19 Brian Lewis
5/6/2019 5:29 PM
I retrohale on almost every puff
5/6/2019 6:02 PM
I tend to retrohale fairly often during a smoke, but not a full retro everytime. I just keep my sinuses open and kinda let the smoke roll out my mouth and nose, I find this gives me the best ability to taste the complexities in a cigar. Usually every third I give a full retrohale just to see what’s going on and if there is something there I’m missing.
5/6/2019 6:57 PM
I attempt to retrohale every few puffs but am probably ably not doing it right. I'll keep trying.
5/6/2019 8:13 PM
Totally depends on the cigar. Some I find a retrohale can help further the experience of a cigar and others have enough body and flavors on the palette that I dont find it necessary. I would never suggest retroing a full puff as it can actually overwhelm the sensus, usually just a little out the nose and the rest out the mouth.
5/6/2019 11:49 PM
Retronasal Olfaction!
5/7/2019 8:40 AM
Still working on this practice, looking forward to becoming more experienced. I’m learning how to expand my pallet and identify the same tasting notes in different cigars.
5/7/2019 11:02 AM
I will retrohale a few times with every couple of cigars.
5/7/2019 11:36 AM
Retro Hale isn't a necessity but definitely helps in tasting the cigar. I retro hale all the time, everytime.
I have noticed as well that there are many people that don't though.
5/7/2019 11:37 AM
I tend to retro hale every inhale. I'm trying to cut back a little lately to every two or three so as not to burn my sinuses out in the first third.
I get three quarters of my tastes from it and I couldn't imagine not doing it.
5/7/2019 1:39 PM
Yes, retrohaling opened my eyes to so many more flavors while smoking. It took some time getting used to doing. The amount of retrohaling that takes place just kind of depends on the cigar. But definitely try it if you never have. It will burn a little so start with a mild stick and if you need assistance there are some good videos out there.
5/7/2019 2:21 PM
Still working on trying to develop this ability. I only smoke Nicaraguans and Cubans and most are too spicy for me to enjoy it yet. Certainly can taste the increase in flavors when I do however.
5/7/2019 4:25 PM
When I began smoking cigars, I bought everything I could, hoping to develop my palette, understand blends, leaves, countries of origins and become an expert. One night at my local shop I bought some Padron 1964s and three four packs of Davidoff Yamasas, Oscurios and Nicaraguas, held them for a month, and then, fool that I am, smoking through them all studiously in about ten days. About one month and several hundred dollars later, a friend told me about retrohaling. Little did I know how much flavor I had been missing and money I had wasted using only my taste buds. As they say, the nose knows. Lesson learned.
5/7/2019 7:38 PM
I retro but not necessarily on purpose it's just become habit now
5/7/2019 9:21 PM
Nice read.  I love retro haling.
5/10/2019 3:02 PM
I do, but it took a while to figure it out.  I had heard some people talking about how they do it, but it just wasn't working for me the way they explained.  It started more as trying to force the smoke through the nose, which was uncomfortable.  Now, with time, it's become much easier and helps me REALLY differentiate blends, even with the same wrapper, like never before
5/11/2019 6:47 AM
I've been smoking cigars for almost 20yrs now and I just recently found out about retro haling a few years ago. I enjoy it with certain cigars but not all.
5/11/2019 5:46 PM
Unless it's a very spicy cigar, I Iike to retro hole at least ever  third puff. If I smell the wrapper and it has floral notes, I retro as often as I can.
5/11/2019 11:07 PM
I wish that I was better at doing this but only started trying a few weeks ago. I like feeling the nose wake up when I retrohale. I think there are things in most cigar blenders put in a cigar that you can only really get through retrohaling.
5/12/2019 6:37 AM
Congrats to Phillip!  Many thanks to everyone for joining the conversation, and Happy Mother's Day!
5/12/2019 6:48 AM
Awesom! Thanks
5/13/2019 12:44 AM
As a noob, my smell is just a massive bit of everything with no real  specifics. But, I get a kick out of the time now and then when "wow, I just smelled cedar, or hay, or whatever it was at that time". In time, the senses will adapt to the sensory overload. Interesting biologial function we have availble to develop!
5/13/2019 5:37 AM
I only do it occasionally and just the last little bit while exhaling. I have sensitive sinuses and will get seriously clogged up if I do it much. It sucks because I know I’m missing out on part of the experience.
5/13/2019 8:44 AM
It is true that retro haling can enhance your smoking experience, but I agree with others who have posted about it depending upon the cigar.  Some smokes are so strong and pepper forward to retro hale makes your sinus burn and eyes water.  Not the most enjoyable experience.  Whereas, with milder cigars there is definitely an enhancement of taste that accompanies retro haling....
5/13/2019 11:17 AM
I like to retro hale a couple times per 3rd on average.
Definitely adds a lot of flavor!
Tend to retro hale more with milder cigars.
Was a few years in before I got hip to it and my first attempts were comical.
Second nature now though.
5/22/2019 7:39 PM
First off, I taste the cigar with my sense of smell as I don't get much taste with my mouth, however, I do experience the cigar texturally with my mouth such as chewiness, dryness, sharpness, etc.  I rarely retro hale because nine times out of ten it's just pepper and I don't care for peppery or spicy primary elements of a cigar's profile.  I can say with certainty, that once during a retro hale, I swear I tasted fresh chocolate chip cookie dough - wonderful!
6/2/2019 1:29 AM
Once you retro, you won't go back.