Smelling the Burn Line??

[El Niño]

Anyone here a professional "burn-line sniffer"?

I hear the Lounge Lizards mention it as a way to get different aromas and notes, but every time I try it, I get a seem to just get a nose-full of smoke that burns. 

[NYGuido]

I do this but in a very specific way. I watch the smoke to see what direction it's going. Then I make it so that is the direction the foot is pointing. Finally, I smell the burn line (or near it) so I am sniffing away from where the smoke is going.

[Lucas Buck]

I’ve done this since I started smoking. Just a wave under the nose here and there to get the scent. 

[JohnS]

I do this on occasion. Try it from behind the burn line. That is, point the cigar away from you instead of towards you.

[ElLoboLoco]

Sounds dangerous. 🤣

[tbelle7]

I've "sniffed" a lot of things in my younger days. Never a burn line.

[Capn_Jackson]

Just stick it in a nostril, feel the burn!

[SirVantes]

Oh, that's "rn", not an "m"...Then, no?

[El Gato]

I do that. Just like retronasal, you do it slowly in small increments 5-15 cm away from the cigar so you don't burn your nostrils.

Delicious smell.

[Chibearsv]

I guess I don’t get it. Once the cigar is lit, isn’t the burn line smoke (blue smoke) all around me?  I smell it just fine without feeling a need to directly inhale it off the cherry. That sounds unpleasant to me. 

[mbflash80]

While it is always nice to have a cigar that does not require a touch up, there can be some benefits to having to correct slight burn issues in my opinion. One of the benefits is getting the blast of aroma from lighting the wrapper. It can bring a slightly new dimension to the smoking experience for just a fleeting moment.  Similar to what this discussion revolves around.

[Islandboy]

3 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

I guess I don’t get it. Once the cigar is lit, isn’t the burn line smoke (blue smoke) all around me?  I smell it just fine without feeling a need to directly inhale it off the cherry. That sounds unpleasant to me. 

Yeah, I was thinking “well, I guess I do enjoy smelling the burn line, but from a comfortable distance”. At around the halfway point and beyond, I find the aroma can benefit greatly with a purge of the cigar.

[Ford2112]

[LizardGizmo]

I do it constantly! It adds a lot to the experience for me. I think it’s the third anchor of the tasting/flavor trifecta - draw, retrohale and burn line.

[JPark3]

When I do it I just make sure I don't let the smoke flow directly onto my face. It definitely adds another layer to the experience.

[LaoFan]

Never done it. I'm having a bbq today (thanks Southern China weather), and I will give 'er a rip as I grill the tenderloins.

[Fugu]

On 12/5/2025 at 2:36 PM, Chibearsv said:

I guess I don’t get it. Once the cigar is lit, isn’t the burn line smoke (blue smoke) all around me?  I smell it just fine without feeling a need to directly inhale it off the cherry. That sounds unpleasant to me. 

Same here.

I love the aroma when peeling an orange, and I dig the flavour of the fruit - yet I avoid to let the popping oils sputter into my eyes. 😂

[Allroz]

Instructions unclear, attempted again yesterday and burnt my eyes and nose. 😂

[avaldes]

This was a new one to me. Tried it and didn't get much of a different experience. That said, I mostly smoke indoors, so maybe it's different outdoors when the smoke blows away quickly?

[TheFez]

Just tried this for the first time. Opened up a whole new layer for me never knew this was a thing!