So I know I'm gonna catch a bunch of crap for this but whatever...

I can't seem to "nose" a cigar as well as everyone else. I try and try but I can only get a little bit to come out.

Can someone give me some tips?

(I know I'm not the only one who has trouble "nosing" a cigar, so I hope this thread helps people)
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Unclench your cheeks :-)
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I really don't know what to say to that... :-)
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Keep your mouth shut and push out the smoke from your nose.Simple :-)
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I think its a mental thing. :-)
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I basically had Aaron (montecristo#2) in a bearhug at SoCal this last year, holding his mouth shut, trying to make him breathe out his nose, and all I succeeded in doing was damn near smothering him.

I'd never even thought about how to do it until that night. Just seemed natural. But there was no way I (or anyone else there) could explain it that worked for him.

I taught a new smoker a week or so ago in about ten seconds, though. Just telling him to close his mouth, make a little "k" sound in the back of his throat, and exhale slowly through his nose.

I really have no idea why it would be so much harder for some people than for others. Maybe there's something physiological that explains it. I sucked at biology, so I wouldn't really know.

(and yes, I'm exaggerating about the bearhug--slightly)
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therein lies the problem. :-)
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ouch, damn pete, you need to stop hangin with klugs! :-)
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:-) :-)
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Im gonna spend sometime trying it this evening. I just feel that Im missing the essence of the cigar sometimes.
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that's cause your missing the gentle part :-)
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When your mouth is closed move your tongue back (similar to when you swallow) while exhaling through your nose (Croatan's "make a small sound in the back of your throat" is a great one, I had never heard that). Your tongue will move the remaining smoke that is inside your Oral cavity back to your throat and carry it out your nose with the other exhaled air from your lungs.... easier than this sounds!
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I love this topic; it is my favorite, as I'm sure Scottw, ucla695, madurolover & cigary (among others) will attest.

THE one best way to 'nose' a cigar is to find a British manager of a fish 'n chips joint. Enter into a discussion about cigars. Have him tell you what he thinks of your cigars. He will take one, then the next, and 'nose' (i.e. shove) them deep inside his nose. He will then tell you the cigars smell of ammonia and are therefore of poor quality. Then he will hand the booger-wrappered cigars back to you.

That, in short, is the best way to 'nose' a cigar.

yeah, i'm not so sure why either but I think this will help...

-without a cigar, close your mouth
-snort out of your nose; just SNORT (there will be a light 'oomph' sound if you're doing it right)
-repeat so you are used to this action
-then slow it down so you're not snorting

-try it with a cigar
-take a draw, blow 2/3 out of your mouth, then close your mouth
-'snort' the last 1/3 of smoke out of your nose just like you were doing before
-if you have to snort, don't worry, you're just getting used to it
-then slow it down so you're not really snorting, you're just 'releasing' the smoke out of your nose

You will notice so many more flavors this way! I just want to know if by 'snorkeling' your cigars...are you inhaling?
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Take the finger out of your nose
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:-) :-)

Easy prep work... right now without a cigar:

Inhale though you mouth/nose however you like. Close your mouth and exhale through your nose. Do it again and try to exhale through your mouth and nose. Modulating how much of nose vs mouth is just a matter of "gettin some touch".

Thats it!

Do the exact same thing (exhale) after taking a draw on your cigar next time you smoke. Make sure you dont fully exhale before taking the draw which might be causing you the problem. Since you are not "inhaling" when you draw on a cigar you need some air in your lungs to be able to exhale thru your nose/mouth vs just puffin the smoke out of your mouth.
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The K thing is the perfect way to splain it!

Yes for sure if not doing this you are missing a big slap in the face with flavor.
Before I started smoking and tasting a cigar this way I always thought what the heck is all the hub bub with these things, they just taste like blek!

Now its woweeee!!!! Thats where I get all the sweet spice, coffee, fresh baked oatmeal cookies flavors from now I think. Really makes a difference!
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Every time I have tried this, I still think it just makes the subtle, enjoyable flavors of the cigar suddenly become harsh and more like a cigarette. I don't understand the appeal...
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I with you there brother. I used to smoke cigarettes a long while ago and could get the circular breathing type of smoking going. But when I started to read about snorking here I couldn't figure out how to do it without fully inhaling first.

Then last weekend my I was telling my nonsmoking wife (she dabbled in early university) about it. So she takes my cigar from me and, BAM, she does it. I tried to hide my shame, took the cigar back from her and then just did it.:-)

Take a draw on you cigar, close your mouth and exhale through your nose. The air in your mouth (and the smoke) will go out with what is also in your lungs.

I found it kinda burned the back of my sinuses a bit, but if you try, you can let out smaller amounts.

Good luck with your efforts.
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I wondered WTF you two were doing, but you were, after all in California, so I didn't say anything.:-)


Sorta like swallowing and exhaling at the same time, but it burns your nose unless the cigar is 50 years old.
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That was the problem for me when I first tried to exhale through my nose. Make sure to take a breath before drawing on the cigar so there's air in your lungs to exhale with.
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