Dutch Masters cigars contain nicotine because they are manufactured using tobacco. Nicotine is present in the raw material used for the filler and the wrapper. All the brand’s products, including cigarillos and larger cigars, rely on the tobacco plant as their base, making nicotine an inherent component. The amount of nicotine a person is exposed to varies significantly depending on the product format and how it is used.
The Source of Nicotine in Dutch Masters
The tobacco used in Dutch Masters cigars is primarily Caribbean Basin Cuban-seed tobacco, utilized for the filler. Nicotine is a naturally occurring alkaloid in the Nicotiana tabacum plant. The concentration of nicotine in the leaf is influenced by where it grows on the plant and the curing process.
The machine-made products often use tobacco processed into sheets for the binder and wrapper, but the nicotine remains locked within the plant material. The total amount of nicotine present is determined by the variety of tobacco and the final weight of the cigar. Flavors, such as vanilla or grape, are added during manufacturing but do not remove the base chemical compound.
Nicotine Content by Product Type
The total nicotine content in a Dutch Masters product is directly proportional to its size and the overall mass of the tobacco it contains. Since the brand offers small cigarillos and larger formats like Coronas and Palmas, the total nicotine quantity differs widely. Cigarillos contain less total tobacco mass than a full-sized cigar, though both are substantial sources of nicotine.
Studies show the average nicotine concentration in cigarillo filler is approximately 11.5 milligrams per gram (mg/g). Larger cigars often have a slightly higher mean concentration, around 13.2 mg/g of tobacco filler. These figures represent the total amount of nicotine inside the unburned product.
A single cigar can contain a total nicotine mass ranging from 100 to 200 milligrams. This is significantly greater than the typical 10 to 15 milligrams found in a manufactured cigarette, due to the sheer volume of tobacco packed into a cigar.
The tobacco wrapper also contributes a measurable amount of nicotine, even if the filler is removed. Research indicates the wrapper can contain between 1.2 and 6.0 milligrams of nicotine, showing the entire tobacco structure is a source of the chemical.
Nicotine Absorption and Delivery
Nicotine absorption from a cigar differs from cigarettes and is affected by the product’s pH level. Nicotine exists in two forms: a salt form and a “free” form. The free form is more readily absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth, even without inhaling the smoke.
Cigars and cigarillos generally have a higher pH level, which increases the proportion of free nicotine in the smoke. This alkaline environment facilitates absorption through the oral cavity, allowing the addictive effect to be achieved without deep lung inhalation. Consequently, many cigar users do not inhale but still receive a significant dose of nicotine.
The amount of nicotine delivered is also influenced by smoking behavior, such as the depth and frequency of puffs. Since small Dutch Masters cigarillos may be smoked more quickly or frequently than a large premium cigar, this can lead to greater total nicotine exposure over time.