A nose for trouble

[Syekick]

I learned early on that to increase the enjoyment and taste the flavors a cigar offers, to slowly exhale some of the smoke through my nose. And so I was doing, so I thought, until last night. I had noticed that when I exhaled through my nose that I wasn't getting a lot of smoke but just discounted that due to "filtering".

Last evening I reflected on this while enjoying a REO and scotch. To my amusement, I finally discovered that although I was exhaling through my nose, I was exhaling lung air, vice the smoke I held in my mouth! I found I had to concentrate and work to move the flap in my throat to reroute the air passage. (For the medically inclined, insert hard to pronounce proper noun in place of "flap".) I could only hold it for a second before it would flop back to the normal position.!!

I then recalled that 10 years ago, I had sleep apnea and used a CPAP device to force air down my airway to keep it open when I slept. (I lost 200 lbs and no longer have sleep apnea, hypertension, or type II diabetes, but that's another story.) I recalled that the first few months that I used the device that the flap discussed above had to become very strong to stay in place. Initally, I had to think about it or the CPAP would blow the flap over and air would rush out my nose.

So, this is just a hold over from that. The flap is used to being in only one position so I have to practice! Think of it a weight training.

I just need to dig out a few more barbells. A Gran Habano Connecticut Churchill and coffee will be my first workout for the day. And one, two, three, feel the burn.

[screwbag]

just takes a touch of practice...

[boonedoggle]

I've not been able to master that...when I tried, it usually just ends up flaring up my sinuses anyways!

That reminds me of the way I used to smoke cigars when I first started: Nice full draw, hold for a second or two, then close my eyes while I exhale. This helped me use my sense of taste to identify the particular flavors of the cigar. I actually haven't done that in a while and I miss it! I will try to remember to do that more often. It really helps the enjoyment of the cigar. Thanks for the reminder!

[ccforme]

Throuhg the nose definitely makes a difference in picking out flavors. I find that some cigars can blow your sinuses so you also need to learn how to regulate how much you send down the sniffer.