Dwell time?

[La_Tigre]

For the best flavor and smoking experience, how long do you hold the smoke in after drawing?

 

What do you experience with shorter or longer dwell times.

For instance, we tend to hold and retrohale more with the sipping type of cigars (MDO4, PLMC, Du Depute) and quick exhale on the chunkier smokier (Siglo VI, San Juan, E2).

 

Discuss your methodology and why. 

[Islandboy]

I’ve recently concluded that I puff on a cigar simply to keep it going, and the enjoyable part is actually in the aroma that comes off the cigar, which seems most enjoyable about 10-15 seconds after each puff. The flavor of the smoke in my mouth plays a minor role, it’s mostly olfactory for me. And it’s in the aroma that I get the toasted hazelnuts, the caramel, the freshly baked cookies, the vanilla...you know, all the good stuff. 

Lately I’ve been wondering if anyone else shares this type of smoking experience, or if I’m an anomaly (wouldn’t be the first time, lol).

[Bijan]

9 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

The flavor of the smoke in my mouth plays a minor role, it’s mostly olfactory for me.

I'm kind of the same but I get that olfactory experience by retrohaling. I puff, hold the smoke in my mouth for 1-3 seconds then blow some smoke out through my nose (then blow out the rest of the smoke out through my mouth). When I learned about this it was a revelation.

Edit: though I agree that's where all the complex flavours (sweet ones especially) are.

[Aznyse1]

You are Absolutely not an anomaly ,I enjoy most of my smoking this way when done indoors .The individual who I would calll my cigar mentor .A real old school connoisseur  always told me this is the proper way to smoke a cigar .Puff only to keep a cigar lit ,while the clean smoke with the bluish hue that comes out of the foot you inhale through you’re nose holding the cigar at about chest hight allowing to capture all the aromas adjusting as you feel necessary to capture a good stream .He also believes that the smoke that is drawn through the head is not the pure smoke as it passes through the whole cigar as opposed to capturing the aromas directly from the foot and there is a clear difference in coloration of the smoke coming from foot and head .

 

I admit I was speculative at first and most people I run into laugh at me when I repeat this however I have found if you really want to go deep and enjoy all the aromas of a cigar this is definitely my favorite method .its somewhat of a mediation 

 

[Bijan]

36 minutes ago, Aznyse1 said:

Puff only to keep a cigar lit ,while the clean smoke with the bluish hue that comes out of the foot you inhale through you’re nose holding the cigar at about chest hight allowing to capture all the aromas adjusting as you feel necessary to capture a good stream .

The version I heard was that there's 2 or 3 smoke/flavour components:

The smoke you take in through the cigar, that same smoke out through the nose and the blue smoke off the foot.

If you angle the cigar downwards you can take in the blue smoke while (or shortly after) tasting the other smoke.

 

Can't find the thread but here's the picture.

 

So it's 4 paths: 1. the blue smoke to the nose. 2. The white smoke in the mouth. 3. The white smoke out and back directly to the nose (blue arrow) and 4. the white smoke through the retrohale.

[Aznyse1]

This makes sense ,I believe what he was saying is the purist form with the most nuanced  aromas was the blue smoke coming from the foot and inhaling that as the primary was the preferable method of smoking ,or what he believes to be the “proper method “.

I have found is the only “proper” way to smoke a cigar is the way you enjoy it most .

 

[Bijan]

2 minutes ago, Aznyse1 said:

This makes sense ,I believe what he was saying is the purist form with the most nuanced  aromas was the blue smoke coming from the foot and inhaling that as the primary was the preferable method of smoking ,or what he believes to be the “proper method “.

I have found is the only “proper” way to smoke a cigar is the way you enjoy it most .

 

I think I heard something along those lines. I think it was from @Ginseng.

edit: definitely agree with the last part! For me, I find the 3 first paths (including the blue smoke) are all delicate and subtle compared to the intensity of the retrohale.

 

[Islandboy]

I like the theory of multiple flavor components all coming together for the full effect. I did discover retrohaling some time ago, before discovering cubans even, and it was pretty revolutionary as I recall. But for whatever reason, I don’t do it very often these days. 

It seems like one’s journey through the enjoyment of cigars is a series of epiphanies, and my most recent was discovering the “blue smoke” aroma about a year ago, and learning how to maximize the effect with things already mentioned like tipping the cigar downward in my mouth, holding it at my chest, etc. I get these occasional whiffs that are downright mesmerizing.

 

[Shrimpchips]

I tend to draw fairly slowly no matter the vitola, and subsequently hold the smoke for 2-3 seconds.  I started thinking about this more as I watched more review vids, where I noticed most seem exhale forcefully almost immediately.  When I try that I find I can’t pick flavors as well or get the mouthfeel of the smoke.  The latter particularly on some smokes where there’s a certain lushness to it.  I find cigar smoking to be a contemplative time to slow down, so slowing and making the whole Motion very deliberate helps me to really enjoy the experience more.  
 

Definitely agree that the smoke off the foot tends to allow me to pick subtle notes much more effectively than even retrohaling.  Most of the complexity I get is there, and definitely something I’ll focus on between puffs.  

[joeypots]

I’m not quite sure how long I hold the smoke, dwell, but I do try to savor every pull on the cigar. Blowing smoke slowly through the nose was a game changer for me and has increased my enjoyment, and nicotine buzz, immensely. When a cigar is very special, I’ve found that holding it so the smoke, drawn, blown, and rising from the foot enveloping my head can provide an exceptional experience. 

[NicPac]

16 hours ago, Bijan said:

I'm kind of the same but I get that olfactory experience by retrohaling. I puff, hold the smoke in my mouth for 1-3 seconds then blow some smoke out through my nose (then blow out the rest of the smoke out through my mouth). When I learned about this it was a revelation.

Edit: though I agree that's where all the complex flavours (sweet ones especially) are.

This describes how I smoke perfectly. I find puffs without at least 25% retrohail a waste. It’s where I get most of my enjoyment from. 

[La_Tigre]

Agree with the retrohale comments, definitely a huge enhancement of the experience.

Also, taking for granted that we all draw slowly for a soft, controlled burn that keeps the smoke cool as possible.

The concept for the poll was the length of time you hold the smoke. If really into the flavors, we definitely savor the smoke longer and more retrohale. If it’s a blah kind of experience, there will be draw and release within a couple seconds. There will not be as much attempt at savoring until/unless there is evolvement. And we’ve all had that “wow, where were you the first half of this cigar, you’re lucky to not be buried in the Stinky ashtray right now!” JL2 we’re looking at you….

[Frinkiac7]

I have never thought about it or timed it, but this thread inspires me to pay more attention next time!