Is there a right or wrong way?

[Seegarnub]

I remember having the discussion of 'How far to smoke down a cigar?' with a Cuban Aficionado I know and his response was, "Who says you shouldn't smoke a cigar all the way down? In a lot of cases the last third is the best part!"
Make of this what you will but again, as has been said before, these things are all down to personal taste and the other thing to remember in life is that often, what is classed as etiquette and what actually tastes/feels good are often two completely different things

[Seegarnub]

I'm not sure that's quite true @smokey joe, if you listen to Davidoff himself he would tell you that you shouldn't smoke beyond the midway point

Seems like a waste to me!

[Krist]

Well just to give my 2c, I don't inhale if I can help it, but occasionally it does happen and I don't enjoy it. I do believe that cigar smoke is more toxic than cigarette smoke and although I like a little retrohale (usually no more than one or two on a single cigar, but only if I fancy it) I think the soft tissues in your nose are even more sensitive and it would be doing more damage than just the mouth. But I have no real evidence to back that up. What we need is a dentist or doctor on here.
But I do disagree with etiquette, if I don't have a light I'll ask for one, if I have one I'm happy to share, and if you think for one minute the tight Scot in me will buy a 1999 luci from JJ's and only smoke half, nae chance! Just do what you enjoy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EarwaxUK]

I do believe that cigar smoke is more toxic than cigarette smoke and although I like a little retrohale (usually no more than one or two on a single cigar, but only if I fancy it) I think the soft tissues in your nose are even more sensitive and it would be doing more damage than just the mouth. But I have no real evidence to back that up. What we need is a dentist or doctor on here.

I'm not a medical doctor, but I am a postdoctoral immunologist with some specialism in the oral and nasal mucous membranes.

There's no particular evidence I'm aware of to suggest the nose is significantly different from the mouth in terms of its sensitivity to any particular chemicals. The mucous membranes of the mouth are different to those of the nose but mostly in the levels of certain specialised immune cells.
The reason the smoke feels harsher through your nose is that the nose is more sensitive to pH than the mouth. It might feel worse through nose but it's mainly because your mouth is more "used to it" for want of a better phrase.

The major surface that's different is the tongue, not the nose, and that's a whole other thread!

[sheppsea]

I'm not a medical doctor, but I am a postdoctoral immunologist with some specialism in the oral and nasal mucous membranes.

There's no particular evidence I'm aware of to suggest the nose is significantly different from the mouth in terms of its sensitivity to any particular chemicals. The mucous membranes of the mouth are different to those of the nose but mostly in the levels of certain specialised immune cells.
The reason the smoke feels harsher through your nose is that the nose is more sensitive to pH than the mouth. It might feel worse through nose but it's mainly because your mouth is more "used to it" for want of a better phrase.

The major surface that's different is the tongue, not the nose, and that's a whole other thread!

Wow - isn't it nice when someone knows what they're talking about

Thanks - a very interesting post

[Krist]

I'm not a medical doctor, but I am a postdoctoral immunologist with some specialism in the oral and nasal mucous membranes.

There's no particular evidence I'm aware of to suggest the nose is significantly different from the mouth in terms of its sensitivity to any particular chemicals. The mucous membranes of the mouth are different to those of the nose but mostly in the levels of certain specialised immune cells.
The reason the smoke feels harsher through your nose is that the nose is more sensitive to pH than the mouth. It might feel worse through nose but it's mainly because your mouth is more "used to it" for want of a better phrase.

The major surface that's different is the tongue, not the nose, and that's a whole other thread!

Agreed with [MENTION=13383428]sheppsea[/MENTION] good to know, I stand corrected.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smokey joe]

Smoking cigars and worrying about it defeats the point. Inhalation will inevitably occur to some extent when smoking. Mouth cancer is no less scary than lung cancer to me. The (aural) flavour of a cigar & the (nasal) scent of one combine to allow a developed experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tommy_tucka]

I also tend to retrohale (although I hate that word). In my experience it's easier for cigarette smokers (or former smokers) as they're likely to have done it with cigarettes before.

To proffer an opinion to the OPs initial question, I don't think there is a "wrong way". I've seen lots of relatively pompous advice on the internet about whether or not you should take the band off the cigar, about whether you should let the ash drop or not, about inhaling and retrohaling, about when and where and why and how you smoke. But the one thing that seems to get lost in all that is the enjoyment of a good cigar.

I've seen a thousand (slight hyperbole for you there) youtube videos about how you light a cigar "the right way" and, more specifically, how not to light a cigar. I've even seen people referring to Zino Davidoff's rules on etiquette and telling us to only smoke a cigar halfway down, never ask for a light from another cigar smoker, not smoking while walking etc.

But a wrong way to smoke? Frankly, you can smoke it backwards if you want and light the foot, it'll still smoke. It's a hobby - do it the way you want and the way that gives you the most enjoyment.

Great advice there mate [emoji106]

[EarwaxUK]

Agreed with [MENTION=13383428]sheppsea[/MENTION] good to know, I stand corrected.

Wasn't my intention to correct you, more to inform you!
I kind of agree with [MENTION=13431825]smokeyjoe[/MENTION], worrying about it too much will ruin the experience of a cigar. Personally, if I get to the point where I'm worrying about it, I'll stop doing it.

[tommy_tucka]

UPDATE.

Recently I have stopped inhaling any smoke and I am enjoying a cigar that bit more.

No more for me.

[Sketchalot]

Seems like a waste to me!

maybe he makes cigars ?

[newbie]

hmmm this seems way above me but i retrohale a different amount all of the time, just like you smoke some cigars quicker or slower it changes. sometimes i hold the smoke in my mouth take a breath through my nose let that out then release the smoke. but surely if you draw and inhale through your nose at the same time you are inhaling smoke

[Starkey]

I have never been a cig smoker but after a few beers I used to have the odd fag. When I first started smoking cigars it was always while drinking and I'd get impatient for the nicotine hit, so I would occasionally take down a draw or two. Those days are well in the past now, I think inhaling the smoke changes the enjoyment of the whole experience. Inhaling gives that sharp feeling in the throat and lungs and detracts from the flavour for me. Now if I accidentally breathe smoke I get a smokey taste rather than coffee or chocolate or cream etc that I'm looking for. And there's something pleasant about the nicotine hit building slowly and gracefully through the cigar. Makes for a more warm and rounded feeling in my experience unlike the cold harsh nicotine hit of a cigarette.

[cj121]

Retrohale?

Read up on it Tommy and have a go

[ha_banos]

Retrohale, nope. But I will blow out the smoke and occasionally take back from the air through my nose. Once it's thinned out it's nice aromatic and not overwhelming.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk