Cigars/Which cigar brands use flour?
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Question
Hi! I have Celiac disease, which is an allergy to the gluten found in wheat flour. I've noticed when smoking cigars that I get similar symptoms to gluten allergies, and I'm wondering if they've used flour paste in the rolling process.
I'm in the USA, so I don't have access to Cubans. I like a certain Arturo Fuente cigar, but I'm a novice and I don't know what it is called.
I'm just wondering if you might have any recommendations for brands of cigars that might NOT use flour in the rolling process.
Many thanks.
Hi Joe,
It sounds like you are having an allergic reaction to the vegetable glue that is used to adhere the cigar wrapper leaves during the cigar rolling process. Vegetable glue does indeed contain gluten. Unfortunately, vegetable glue is the industry standard and I can't think of any cigar manufacturer that uses any type of alternative to vegetable glue.
I do know that pectin is occassionally used by cigar smokers to repair damaged cigars. Pectin is an excellent alternative to vegetable glue because it is inexpensive and available at most supermarkets... it is also gluten-free. Unfortunately, cigar manufacturers have not implemented pectin into their cigars (yet) so your only option is to find a custom cigar roller/manufacturer that can hand roll cigars for you and use pectin instead of vegetable glue.
You should also check with various Celiac support websites and forums and hopefully someone may have found a vegetable glue/gluten-free cigar.
I hope this helps. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.
Regards,
James
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| Comment | Thank you, James! Exactly what I needed to know, even if I didn't want to hear it. | ||
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James Yee
Expertise
My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".
Experience
I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.
Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)
Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto
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