recently there have been several threads about experiencing cigars, cigar philosophy, and the different stages of learning in cigars.
since this thread is about just that i have updated it some and i am now bumping it to the top for those who have not seen it. (it has been a year since being on the front page)
i hope you newer guys enjoy. please ask questions.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

ok, so I'm experimenting with retrohaling to get more out of my favorite cigars - and I'm almost vomiting every time I do it. Am I inhaling, or doing something wrong?

And even when I get it right, the smoke passes through my nose so fast, all I really get is a quick whiff - nothing lingers for me to ponder over. Is the smell supposed to last longer?

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Question, challenge, and always keep a fresh battery in your bullshit detector

I have read this entire thread alot of great info. I had a couple quick questions though.

1) Similar to xmacro i have troubel retro hailing. So i tried letting a little float into my nose and have noticed that helps a little but i think my sense of smell is a little clogged since im always a little stuffed up. Is there a easy how to anywhere on retro hailing to limit the amount of smoke. I try to let most out but i might let to much out before i can retro.

2) where do you notice the flavors more. i dont tend to get any flavors when the smoke is in my mouth but more when i blow the smoke out.

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www.herfevents.com

xmacro:

ok, so I'm experimenting with retrohaling to get more out of my favorite cigars - and I'm almost vomiting every time I do it. Am I inhaling, or doing something wrong?

And even when I get it right, the smoke passes through my nose so fast, all I really get is a quick whiff - nothing lingers for me to ponder over. Is the smell supposed to last longer?

if you actually inhale you will know.
i have only on a rare occasion accidentally inhaled. it was bad news bears. i hacked up my lungs right there. not fun stuff.

...unless you smoke cigarettes also... then its a different story.

i never had a problem with too little smoke through the nose. i had a problem with too much. since i learned about this concept while into very full bodied cigars i would get a very intense burn through the nose with no flavor at all, just pain.

if you smoke some very mild cigars you should be able to get almost ALL of the smoke through the nose with no issue.

i also dont get too many lingering flavors. this is why i go through the nose SLOWLY.
i hope that helps.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

RaschNuts:

I have read this entire thread alot of great info. I had a couple quick questions though.

1) Similar to xmacro i have troubel retro hailing. So i tried letting a little float into my nose and have noticed that helps a little but i think my sense of smell is a little clogged since im always a little stuffed up. Is there a easy how to anywhere on retro hailing to limit the amount of smoke. I try to let most out but i might let to much out before i can retro.

i actually let out a bit before i let it escape the mouth. this way i can regulate how much i push through the nose. with most cigars i start through the nose and continue to exhale through the mouth. so at some point smoke is going through the nose and through the mouth at the same time.


to practice this without a cigar, take a deep breath in and hold it for a moment. then start to breath out through the nose only. when 1/4 of your lungs are empty open your mouth and let air escape both.
this is the "maneuver" i use to taste cigars.

RaschNuts:

2) where do you notice the flavors more. i dont tend to get any flavors when the smoke is in my mouth but more when i blow the smoke out.

this is a great question

i notice flavors in three stages and two places.

the first time i get any flavor is on the draw as i am bringing smoke into the mouth. I hold my tongue close to the front of my mouth to get smoke to flow over it.
this is the initial flavor or stage one, and it is all in the mouth.
the second stage of flavor comes to me as i swirl the smoke in my mouth and begin the smoke through the nose. there is a ton of flavor while blowing out the smoke. the smoke through the nose is the second place i notice flavor.
the third stage of flavor is what many call the finish. all the smoke has left the mouth and nose and the flavor that you are left with is the finish.

there you go. Three stages, two places

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

kuzi16:

RaschNuts:

I have read this entire thread alot of great info. I had a couple quick questions though.

1) Similar to xmacro i have troubel retro hailing. So i tried letting a little float into my nose and have noticed that helps a little but i think my sense of smell is a little clogged since im always a little stuffed up. Is there a easy how to anywhere on retro hailing to limit the amount of smoke. I try to let most out but i might let to much out before i can retro.

i actually let out a bit before i let it escape the mouth. this way i can regulate how much i push through the nose. with most cigars i start through the nose and continue to exhale through the mouth. so at some point smoke is going through the nose and through the mouth at the same time.


to practice this without a cigar, take a deep breath in and hold it for a moment. then start to breath out through the nose only. when 1/4 of your lungs are empty open your mouth and let air escape both.
this is the "maneuver" i use to taste cigars.

RaschNuts:

2) where do you notice the flavors more. i dont tend to get any flavors when the smoke is in my mouth but more when i blow the smoke out.

this is a great question

i notice flavors in three stages and two places.

the first time i get any flavor is on the draw as i am bringing smoke into the mouth. I hold my tongue close to the front of my mouth to get smoke to flow over it.
this is the initial flavor or stage one, and it is all in the mouth.
the second stage of flavor comes to me as i swirl the smoke in my mouth and begin the smoke through the nose. there is a ton of flavor while blowing out the smoke. the smoke through the nose is the second place i notice flavor.
the third stage of flavor is what many call the finish. all the smoke has left the mouth and nose and the flavor that you are left with is the finish.

there you go. Three stages, two places

Thanks. Ill try to remember this next time its warm enough out to smoke. dont really focus too much on this stuff when hanging out with other people.

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www.herfevents.com

I finally figured how to retrohale - kuzi's suggestion helped me figure the sensation, what I should be feeling when it happens. Now I just shove my tongue against the roof of my mouth while exhaling through my nose (I think clearlysuspect or sightunseen recommended this?) - took about an hour, but I can do it on command and it's pretty cool (still burns like hell with this RP Decade I'm smoking)

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Question, challenge, and always keep a fresh battery in your bullshit detector

xmacro:

I finally figured how to retrohale - kuzi's suggestion helped me figure the sensation, what I should be feeling when it happens. Now I just shove my tongue against the roof of my mouth while exhaling through my nose (I think clearlysuspect or sightunseen recommended this?) - took about an hour, but I can do it on command and it's pretty cool (still burns like hell with this RP Decade I'm smoking)

yeah... i would stick with milder cigars for starters. after a while a DPG blue or LDF DL Maduro wont bother you at all. its a combination getting used to it and knowing how much to push through.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

yea i started out with the mild cigars and now getting into medium cant wait untill i start to enjoy the full and all the flavors and taste of all cigars. great thread kuzi

I've studied to this post several times to improve my smoking experience. One question though, are the graphs at the beginning of this article copyrighted? I would like to print several for friends that enjoy cigar as well with out infringing on someone's work.

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Our future is to be our children's past. How will we be remembered? What wisdom shall we impart? Rejoice in our souls for that's all that remains in the end.

iduno. i found them using a google search. i typed in "cigar flavor wheel"
ive seen them in a few different places. i doubt they are copyrighted.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

Thanks. I'll take A chance on them.

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Our future is to be our children's past. How will we be remembered? What wisdom shall we impart? Rejoice in our souls for that's all that remains in the end.

I printed a wheel off too, and keep it in my dossier.

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Favorites and not-so-favorites can be found in my profile.

Kuzi (and everyone else who's contributed to this thread),
Great post and information. Even though I wish I could say otherwise, I'm still at the beginning stages of developing my palate and this thread has some fantastic information.
I'm looking forward to 'buying and comparing the flavors' next time I light up a cigar and am excited to see how much this helps in developing my palate.

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

-John Muir


Good Traders

Bad Traders

jgibv:

Even though I wish I could say otherwise, I'm still at the beginning stages of developing my palate

you make it sound like its a bad thing. being new is some of the best time to smoke cigars. there is so much that it new. there are no prejudices to a particular country, maker, blender, or style. everything is wide open.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate