Nov 25, 2025
Last Modified: Jul 29, 2026
Cigar smoking is built around the senses. From the taste of the smoke to the aromas in the air. But what if we told you there was a way to heighten these senses further?
Retrohaling cigars helps you to get even more out of their flavors and aromas. By exhaling from your nose, you’ll be able to discover subtle, hidden notes you wouldn’t otherwise notice. However, it requires technique to master, and can lead to discomfort if you get it wrong.
In this article, we’ll explain retrohaling in detail, outlining what it has to offer. We’ll walk you through the technique, highlighting everything you need to consider.
What is Retrohaling?
Retrohaling is a technique that smokers use to elevate their smoking experience. It involves exhaling portions of smoke through the nose rather than just the mouth. As a result, it further activates your sense of smell while smoking.
It works through retronasal olfaction, the same process that lets you taste the full flavor of food rather than just the basic notes your tongue picks up. Pinch your nose while eating, and everything flattens out. Retrohaling is how you open that channel up on purpose.
This allows you to detect more of the cigar’s flavors and aromas, creating a more complete experience. It’s especially effective when used on milder cigars with subtle flavor notes or when exploring coffee and cigar pairings.
How is Retrohaling Different From Regular Smoking?
The traditional method of cigar smoking is centered around the mouth. You draw smoke into the mouth, hold it, and exhale back out of the mouth. With retrohaling, you release a portion of the smoke slowly out of the nose. This brings your sense of smell into play.
It isn’t a revolutionary technique that will change your entire method of smoking. You’ll only retrohale every few puffs, not every single puff of the cigar. Think of it as an addition to the experience rather than the experience itself.
How to Retrohale a Cigar: Step-by-Step
It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of retrohaling. Despite this, the process is relatively simple with a few basic steps to think about:
- Take a puff of your cigar: Draw the cigar smoke into your mouth as you would normally. Like regular smoking, the method doesn’t require inhalation into the lungs. Instead, hold the cigar smoke in your mouth and begin to savor its flavors.
- Keep your mouth closed: Don’t allow the smoke in your mouth to escape. Closing your mouth will also help you to keep the smoke under control ready for the next step.
- Exhale gently through your nose: Use the muscles in the back of your throat to exhale smoke through your nose. You’ll want to gently exhale through the nasal passage, rather than all of the smoke at once.
- Exhale slightly through the mouth: Exhale the rest of the smoke through your mouth. The aim of retrohaling is to allow a portion of the smoke out through your nasal passage. Exhaling the entire puff through your nose may be overwhelming for the senses.
To learn how to retrohale properly, check out our helpful instructional video:
Still Can't Get It? Three Ways to Learn the Motion
The steps are simple to read and awkward to do. The smoke goes out of the mouth instead of the nose, or none of it moves at all. That's normal. The motion is subtle, and it tends to click through feel rather than instruction. If the steps above haven't worked yet, try these, and stick with whichever one your body responds to.
The Birthday Candle Method
You don't even need a lit cigar for this. Take a normal draw, or just a mouthful of air, close off the back of your throat so nothing reaches your lungs, then breathe out slowly through your mouth and nose at the same time, as if you were gently blowing out candles. Feeling air leave through your nose is the whole sensation you're after. Once you can do it with air, do it with smoke.
The Halfway Switch
Take a draw and start exhaling through your mouth the way you normally would. Partway through, close your mouth and let the rest of the smoke finish its way out through your nose. Because you've already got the smoke moving in the right direction, the nose tends to take over without much effort. This is often the fastest route for people who've been stuck.
The Tongue Cue
As you exhale, press the back of your tongue up toward the roof of your mouth. This closes off the mouth and redirects the airflow upward into the nasal passage almost automatically. Some people get it on the first try with this one after failing with everything else, so it's worth trying even if the others haven't worked.
Things to Consider When Retrohaling
When retrohaling for the first time, there are a few things to consider. These will prevent you from discomfort and help to ease you in nicely.
- Choose a mild cigar: Using a milder cigar will be less intense and less overwhelming. This will help you get used to the sensations created by retrohaling. Too intense a smoke may also cause itchiness in the nose.
- Calm your breathing: Retrohaling requires a good level of breath control. Breathe too heavily, and you’ll exhale too much smoke at once. This can diminish your experience, and even cause you pain.
- Start small: Don’t retrohale too much smoke in your first few puffs. Instead, start with a small amount and gradually get used to the technique.
- Wait for the smoke to cool: When you first light the cigar, the smoke will be at its hottest. Wait until you get further along before retrohaling. Otherwise, you will experience a painful burning sensation in the nose.
- Practice: Practice makes perfect. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t manage to retrohale on the first attempt.
Why Retrohale?
Retrohaling a cigar is a method that brings out more of the cigar’s potential. By activating your nose, you’ll taste cigar flavors that you can’t sense through taste buds alone. You’ll notice greater complexity and subtlety, especially with pepper and floral notes. This is because your sense of smell is closely linked to your sense of taste.
By exhaling through the nose, you can bring some of this smoke directly to your sinuses. This brings you closer to the cigar’s full flavor.
You’ll also access the cigar's aroma to a better extent. Rather than smelling it in the air, it will come into direct contact with odor receptors. By gently exhaling cigar smoke through the nose, you’ll pick up further subtleties in the cigar’s aroma.
Many experts claim that it is a true way of fully assessing a cigar’s profile. The technique may be compared to the way a wine taster swirls wine around the glass before drinking it. They are releasing aromas that tell you more about the flavor within the wine.
Of course, retrohaling isn’t enjoyed by everyone who tries it. Cigar smoking is subjective, and traditional methods may be more to your taste. This is likely if you have sinus issues or a sensitive nasal passage.
Elevate Your Cigar Smoking Experience with Swiss Cuban Cigars
Mastering the art of retrohaling will open you up to a whole new world of flavor. Each smoking session will become a richer, more fulfilling experience. This is especially the case if you’re smoking premium cigars.
At Swiss Cuban Cigars, we stock the very best cigars from across the world. Our stock is sourced from the best manufacturers from Cuba and beyond. Not only do we guarantee premium quality, we also guarantee an unforgettable experience.
Browse our store today to find a cigar that matches your needs.
FAQs
Is retrohaling a cigar bad for you?
Health-wise, retrohaling a cigar is no different than smoking a cigar the more traditional way. Of course, retrohaling is different from inhaling, which can have negative consequences if you do it too often.
How often should you retrohale a cigar?
Retrohaling should be relatively infrequent when compared to standard exhaling of a cigar. Retrohaling once every three to five puffs is the recommended rate. Beginners may want to start by retrohaling once or twice per cigar.
How to properly retrohale?
To properly retrohale a cigar, you should exhale smoke gently through the nose. Don’t exhale the entire puff through your nose, as it can create discomfort. Exhale slowly to experience the full complexity of the flavors.
Do you inhale when you retrohale?
These get mixed up constantly, but they're opposite motions. Inhaling pulls smoke down into your lungs, which is not how cigars are meant to be smoked. Retrohaling keeps the smoke in your mouth and pushes it up and out through your nose on air pressure from your chest. Nothing ever reaches your lungs.
Why does retrohaling burn my nose?
Usually the smoke is too hot or too strong for your nose to handle comfortably. Wait until you're further into the cigar so it's cooled down, send less smoke through at a time, and stick to a milder cigar while you're learning. The sting fades as you get the hang of controlling the amount.
How long does it take to learn to retrohale?
Anywhere from one try to a few sessions, depending on the person. The motion is subtle, and it tends to click all at once rather than gradually, usually the moment the right cue lands for you. Practising with plain air instead of smoke, or on a mild cigar, gets you there faster.
Should you retrohale every puff?
Every draw would flood your senses and leave your nose raw. Three to five puffs apart is the usual rhythm, and beginners do well starting with just once or twice per cigar. Think of it as seasoning the experience, not the main course.
