Fuente Anejo's with Mold!!!!

[jcgoldner]

After following another post on mold here at the BOTL and inspecting my Anejo's and finding mold, I decided to start another thread with Anejo and mold in the subject line in case other brothers with Anejo cigars were not following that thread.

This is not a new issue here or at other online cigar forums. If you have been following it you know what I am talking about. I'd like to use this thread as a place you can post your Anejo mold issues, what steps you are taking and what if any kind of luck you are having returning them.

Ok this is what I found last night while inspecting my Anejos. Be very careful not to just inspect the cigars while in the cello, take them out of the cello for inspection. Most of my 2 dozen or so cigars did not show the mold while in the cello but did once removed. Most of my cigars show mold on the foot with some having mold on the wrapper and the foot. If you have any of the Anejos wrapped in cedar slide out the cigar and take a closer look, I found mold there too! Luckily my Shark from the Carlito's Way sampler seems fine so far but others online have found mold on them too so don't forget to check those also.

Needless to say I removed all of this years Anejos from the NC humi and bagged them. I sent Holts an e-mail this morning asking if they can be returned. I will post the reply here.

It will be nice if they return my money but I am more concerned about losing a year in my rotation of Anejo's. I buy the Anejo's and put them down for a year and smoke the previous years stock. They are incredible with a year or more on them. I'll miss them next year for sure!!!

Hopefully your luck will be better than mine but either way don't put off a closer inspection of the Anejo's you bought this season.

[Headbanger]

Thanks for the informative post and update John. The one I have is the sand shark from the same sampler. I looked pretty good at it, but did not remove from the cello. I certainly will do so. I will also check to see if feels too moist as when they roll them they are too wet. I am sure Holt's will take care of this matter and they probably are aware of the issue. I am really surprised at this from Fuente.

[Boppa-Wasch]

Thanks for the update and info.

[williegstyles]

Thanks for the heads up. I picked up quite a few of these this season and to be real honest I did notice something that I assumed was plume. After reading this post I am about to take a much closer look at my inventory.

[williegstyles]

After careful review...I removed a total of 12 Sharks out of my cabinet for suspicion. The white substance on the wrapper wipes off easily. However, there is definitely visible evidence of something white on the foot of each of these sticks. All of which were purchased this season. The rest of which that I have been aging for sometime now are perfectly fine.

[cvm4]

Did Fuente ship out the whole winter anejo release with mold on'em?

[jcgoldner]

From other posts online it seems that some are good but a majority may have mold on or in them.

[cvm4]

Ouch...Of course, I have no clue if they inspect the boxes before shipping them out?

[gpugliese]

i had no mold on the 46's, 48's, 49's, 50's or 55's that I got from Tampa Sweethearts and/or a Boston B&M. Nor the 77 Sand Sharks from Holt's. The 77's from TS, however, had a few white spores near the foot, so I took the cedar out and wiped it off.

[jwintosh]

had two out of ten sand sharks with the suspect white stuff,,, coming off the body of the smoke and connecting with the cello. took all of them out of their cellos, and put them in their own humi! not sure what else to do,,, guess i'll smoke em!

[tobby4]

I only have 2 of em, there better not be any mold on em...

[Wasch_24]

Wow, this is looking like it is pretty bad.

[fredneck]

Here's a direct reply from a representative of the Fuente's regarding the mold issue:


We are sorry to hear about the negative experience you had with our cigars. I am forwarding your email to Holts, and I am sure they will make good on any problem you have. They are very reputable and like the Fuente Family they stand behind every product they sell.

I would also ask you to contact the other retailers so they intern can make good on this problem.

I will contact Carlito and make him aware of this so he may have his supervisors in the Dominican Republic follow up on and see what is occurring.

Again we are truly sorry for this inconvenience and we pledge to look into this, determine the problem and resolve it is an expeditious manor.

We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and we thank you for supporting our company.

Karl Herzog A. Fuente & Co.,Inc.

Taken from this thread (http://www.cigarfamily.com/cf4/thread.cfm?Room=Cigar&threadId=45527&z=52)

[Wasch_24]

:rofl: I was just searching there!

[fredneck]

great minds.....

[Electric Sheep]

I wonder if it had anything to do with the "lost" shipment this winter...when the boat got misplaced, or whatever it was?

[jcgoldner]

Well I heard back from Holts today with good results.

John,

Dallas passed on your email to me in reference to your Anejos. Bring back anything you bought here and I will take a look at them. Needless to say I can’t replace them because the Company doesn’t have anymore. I will give you a refund or a store credit.



Gregory Kushner
Assistant General Manager
Holts Cigar Company
1522 Walnut St
Philadelphia, Pa 19102

[cvm4]

Seems to me like Fuente should be doing the refunding. Or is this strictly a Holts matter?

[pharmboy]

.....

[kirscovitch]

what rh do you guys store your NC's at?? i have been storing my anejos with my cc's at 60% and havent found mold yet. and ive been looking very carefully since this topic has come up.

[williegstyles]

Seems to me like Fuente should be doing the refunding. Or is this strictly a Holts matter?

This is NOT just a Holt's matter. I purchased all of my Sharks from only 2 stores in Texas and most ALL of them have mold on them.

My question is this...Since you can freeze your cigars to rid beetles would it not make sense that you can do the same to get rid of mold? This whole ordeal really chaps my hide since I have 12 Sharks that are affected. I would much rather have the sticks than to have my money back or store credit for that matter.

[Wasch_24]

From the other thread it seems that the same cold that could kill the mold would ruin cigars and is much colder then the temps required to kill beetles and their larvae.

[avid toker]

This is NOT just a Holt's matter. I purchased all of my Sharks from only 2 stores in Texas and most ALL of them have mold on them.

My question is this...Since you can freeze your cigars to rid beetles would it not make sense that you can do the same to get rid of mold? This whole ordeal really chaps my hide since I have 12 Sharks that are affected. I would much rather have the sticks than to have my money back or store credit for that matter.

If the mold isn't in the foot then the cigar is salvageable as you already know. Yes, having 12 cigars with mold on it is annoying. But I'd just as soon wipe them down with a slightly damp paper towel and put 'em back in the humi. If you're humi is on the drier side (62%-66%) then you'll be fine.

[avid toker]

Could you imagine if you bought the "cigar in a bottle" for $300 and the cigar had mold on it? Fuente's got a lot of explaining to do.

[jwintosh]

i checked the two that had the mold on the wrapper. (didn't even think to check the foot) it's on both foots (or, is it feet) too. tried to scrape it off with my nail and took some of the tobacco with it. guess i'll be contacting holts.

[jcgoldner]

I have Anejo's in all vitolas but mostly the Shark. Most of the cigars have mold on them somewhere with the remainder not showing any mold. They are keep in my NC humi at 67% RH. The problem I'm having is I don't feel confident it keeping any of them since they are to be stored for at least a year in the humi before I start to smoke them. I already have 3 humi's so buying a fourth doesn't make sense to just experiment with these sticks.

It is a real shame because I too would rather have the cigars then get any money back but at this point I'm ready to scrap the whole year and start again next Holiday season. Hopefully they will fix the problem but one thing is for sure, I know I will take each cigar out of the cello for close inspection in the store next time. Hey we live, we learn!!!

[indyrob]

Geez...I'm going to have to check my stash of Fuente's now.

[indyrob]

Well I made the trip downstairs into the basement and went over the 2 mixed boxes of Fuente products.

I am proud to say that I have 0 mold on any of my Fuente's. I do have a few silver dollars stashed away in my coolers, maybe they helped out in controlling the mold.

As a side note though, I was surprised to see the amount of sap on some of the cedar wrapped sticks though. Most notably were the cigars from 2004-2005. My holiday sampler and the OR King B's had the most sap, while the more recent release of the B's had none.
Go figure...

[Electric Sheep]

Well I very carefully inspected my stash of Fuentes last night (various Opus, maddie Hemis, Anejo 48s, cammy and maddy Sharks) and everything was just fine; absolutely no mold whatsoever.

FYI, my Fuentes are all stored together (in the cello) inside an SLB cedar box which is kept in my Avanti wine chillador at 68º/65%.

[jwintosh]

i have a very nice selection of AF's, with several unopened boxes of the sungrowns. i haven't noticed any other mold,,, just on the two cammy sharks!

how does mold spread? by contact or in the same vicinity? i have the sharks segregated,,, do i need to take out the two infected ones?

thanks,

jeff

[Headbanger]

Mold spores most easily via direct contact or less likely way airborne.

I would place them in singles baggies and away from others best you can if you plan on keeping. Returning for money or replacement sooner than later is best.

[vperlman]

Geez...I'm going to have to check my stash of Fuente's now.
I have a lot of Anejos that I bought at Holt's this season, and none of them has any mold. I buy a lot of cigars at Holt's and have never had mold on any of them. In fact, I have never had mold on any of my sticks, no matter where I bought them (can't say the same about beetles, though). Maybe I have just been lucky... :dunno:

[CWS]

Checked my sharks. Sure enough, mold on one of em. Not much. Well, it gets smoked tonight.

[jwintosh]

here was my response from holts:

"I do apologize for any inconvenience you are experiencing.
I am not familiar with others complaining about mold.
I do see we sold 4,095 samplers and only 3 have been returned.
#1 return was the sampler arrived damaged.
#2 return was the opus wrapper was unraveling
#3 return was returned by a customer in NY that believed the Shark had mold.
we did inspect this upon receipt, and it was plume not mold.

I do see another customer from Maryland called believing the Shark may be moldy, we did explain the difference between mold and plume and customer has decided it was plume and kept the sampler.

We no longer have this sampler available, but we do stand behind our guarantee.
If you wish to return these samplers we are unable to replace but we can credit your Visa.

Are you familiar with plume?
Plume, or bloom, (both terms are correct) is a common occurrence in premium, hand-rolled cigars. It means the cigar has exuded oils and small particles have attached to the oils. It does not damage the cigars. Your technique of using a small brush is appropriate; some people use sponges. However, be aware that cigars can also get mold. The mold usually has a bluish tint, unlike the white appearance of plume, and will stain your wrappers, which plume won't do. Mold is the direct result of a combination of high temperature (above 72 degrees) and excessive humidity.

Holts Cigar Co
Jackie"

i am surprised that there isn't many complaints, with all i've read, there seems to be a problem. also, sending the sampler back isn't an option, since i've smoked some of them already! nothing wrong with any other stick. not sure what i'll do.

jeff

[Headbanger]

Tough spot Jeff, not an envious one to say the lest. Even if you smoked some sticks and just return the moldy shark(s) they should give you some type of credit for the bad ones.

I wonder who the customer is in MD?

[avid toker]

Are you familiar with plume?
Plume, or bloom, (both terms are correct) is a common occurrence in premium, hand-rolled cigars. It means the cigar has exuded oils and small particles have attached to the oils. It does not damage the cigars. Your technique of using a small brush is appropriate; some people use sponges. However, be aware that cigars can also get mold. The mold usually has a bluish tint, unlike the white appearance of plume, and will stain your wrappers, which plume won't do. Mold is the direct result of a combination of high temperature (above 72 degrees) and excessive humidity.

Holts Cigar Co
Jackie"


Wow, if it were me, I'd reply and ask them whether they actually know the difference between plume and mold!

I acknowledge that some folks can confuse plume and mold. But a part of their statement is incorrect. While mold is commonly bluish green, certain mold strains commonly found on tobacco start out WHITE and then turn a different color.

[indyrob]

I guess Holt's believes that we can't tell the difference between mold & plume.

I know I can tell the difference. One needs a haircut and the other needs to be smoked.

[jwintosh]

my response to holts:

yes, i am familiar with plume. this is not plume. in fact, i attempted to scrape
it off of the foot with my fingernail. took the tobacco with it! returning the
sampler would be difficult as i have smoked some of them already. also, there is no problem with any other stick, only two cammy sharks (i bought 5 samplers).

i mentioned that others have the same complaint. i belong to several cigar
boards. BOTL.org has a thread just addressing this (it's what got my attention).

http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=11515

i am surprised, as many stated they have contacted you,... in fact, one member received a message from Gregory Kushner...

also, http://www.cigarfamily.com/cf4/thread.cfm?Room=Cigar&threadId=45527&z=52

lots of mold going on,,, i don't believe it's a 'holts' thing, maybe an "AF'
thing....

thanks for the prompt response!

jeff

[jwintosh]

their response: prepaid envelope for me to send back the two sharks. will credit my account $8.50 per stick. wow! i wish i could find an anejo shark single for $8.50! out of the $50 5-pack, i'd think the shark would be the most expensive! well, guess it's better than not... NOT!

[Wasch_24]

IMO this really is a Fuente problem.

[cvm4]

I agree

[gpugliese]

their response: prepaid envelope for me to send back the two sharks. will credit my account $8.50 per stick. wow! i wish i could find an anejo shark single for $8.50! out of the $50 5-pack, i'd think the shark would be the most expensive! well, guess it's better than not... NOT!

Tampa Sweethearts had them for $8.50 back in January. That is the MSRP, though. PA doesn't have a cigar tax, so you only get $8.50.

[williegstyles]

my response to holts:

yes, i am familiar with plume. this is not plume. in fact, i attempted to scrape
it off of the foot with my fingernail. took the tobacco with it! returning the
sampler would be difficult as i have smoked some of them already. also, there is no problem with any other stick, only two cammy sharks (i bought 5 samplers).

i mentioned that others have the same complaint. i belong to several cigar
boards. BOTL.org has a thread just addressing this (it's what got my attention).

http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=11515

i am surprised, as many stated they have contacted you,... in fact, one member received a message from Gregory Kushner...

also, http://www.cigarfamily.com/cf4/thread.cfm?Room=Cigar&threadId=45527&z=52

lots of mold going on,,, i don't believe it's a 'holts' thing, maybe an "AF'
thing....

thanks for the prompt response!

jeff



Thanks for the good read. It's nice to hear that this is NOT an isolated incedence. It appears to me that this is indeed a quality control issue that needs to be resolved....IMMEDIATELY!

[Ratbert]

I went through mine last night and really did not find anything, which is quite lucky given what I've been reading here. I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on them.

Some are kept in a desktop that stays pretty much at 70/70 and the others are in a cedar box in a cabinet that's at 68/64. It's the desktop that I'm most concerned about, as it's in my den that's built over the garage, so the temp can spike in there on a sunny day, even in the winter.

Thinking about the "plume vs. mold" reponse that Jeff received...doesn't plume take quite some time to form on a cigar? I thought that a cigar had to be several years old and kept relatively undisturbed in great conditions to achieve plume. Mold on the other hand, I thught could sprout in a matter of weeks. Can anybody clarify this for me?

[Headbanger]

Thinking about the "plume vs. mold" reponse that Jeff received...doesn't plume take quite some time to form on a cigar? I thought that a cigar had to be several years old and kept relatively undisturbed in great conditions to achieve plume. Mold on the other hand, I thught could sprout in a matter of weeks. Can anybody clarify this for me?


Below found at cigar nexus:

Rejoice! To find white powdery spots is a good sign that your cigars are aging beautifully. The appearance of these white spots, called bloom or plume, means that the essential oils contained in the tobacco have come to the surface of the cigar. They are easily brushed off.


However, if the spots are blue/green and leave a stain when you brush them off, the spots are probably mold. Mold is a damaging fungus that results from storing cigars in too high humidity and will ruin the taste of your cigars. In this case, separate the affected cigars from the others and clean your humidor. Leave your cigars outside the humidor for a few days until you are sure that the mold growth has stopped. It is important to bring down the humidity inside the humidor before placing the cigars in it again.

If the mold appears to be just on the surface of the wrapper and has not spread to the interior, the taste may not be affected.

[Headbanger]

Below found at CA:

Plume, or bloom, (both terms are correct) is a common occurrence in premium, hand-rolled cigars. It means the cigar has exuded oils and small particles have attached to the oils. It does not damage the cigars. Your technique of using a small brush is appropriate; some people use sponges. However, be aware that cigars can also get mold. The mold usually has a bluish tint, unlike the white appearance of plume, and will stain your wrappers, which plume won't do. Mold is the direct result of a combination of high temperature (above 72 degrees) and excessive humidity. If you find mold on your cigars, check your humidor immediately.

[BradMc]

after reading this I did a check of mine , they r all good .............

[avid toker]

Well, for shits and giggles I checked my Holt's sampler and whaddya know. The only cigar in the sampler with WHITE MOLD (not plume) is the Cameroon Shark. In the foot, big splotches of mold. PLUME does not grow in the foot of the cigar!!!

Got on the phone with Holt's customer service. They tried giving me the plume story....uhhhh, not having it. "Yes sir, you have mold. We'll credit your card right away for the entire sampler. A prepaid shipping label is being sent out to return the sampler."

They are aware of this problem. I am the 4th person returning the sampler. They have read the boards and are aware there is a problem. Coincidentally, I'll be stopping by Mahogany for a few smokes. I thought about popping downstairs to show them the problematic cigars but the store folks are different from the mail order people so it wouldn't do much good.

[Headbanger]

You bought the sampler also Shane :eyequiver? Dayum!

I better check my sampler again, but I saw nothing at all.

[jwintosh]

Tampa Sweethearts had them for $8.50 back in January. That is the MSRP, though. PA doesn't have a cigar tax, so you only get $8.50.

she reminded me of that! no worries! i'll smoke 'em!

[Electric Sheep]

Here's some BLOOM -vs- MOLD info that I gathered up about a year ago...


http://home.comcast.net/~e_sheep/cigars/c_mold.jpg
CIGAR MOLD
Mold is a fungus, growing on overly humidified sogies. It is recognized
as white, gray, or blue-green "fuzzy patches" with a definite dimension to
them. Mold spreads by spores, so it's important to get rid of any moldy
cigars immediately, before they contaminate your other cigars or the mold gets
into the wood of your humidor. Mold often appears when the RH passes 85%.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


http://home.comcast.net/~e_sheep/cigars/c_bloom.jpg
CIGAR BLOOM
Bloom refers to the slow rising of "essential oils" to the surface of a cigar.
It first shows up as tiny (almost microscopic) crystals on the surface,
and can eventually make a cigar look slightly "dusty" with a whitish finish
on the surface. Not only is it harmless, some prefer to see a little
bloom, as an indication of strong taste.





http://home.comcast.net/~e_sheep/cigars/c_bloom_closeup.jpg
BLOOM CLOSEUP

http://home.comcast.net/~e_sheep/cigars/c_mold_closeup.jpg
MOLD CLOSEUP





SOURCES:

http://www.superiorcigars.com/cigarprobl.php
http://home.alltel.net/jbperry/cig.htm

[orlenz]

They are aware of this problem. I am the 4th person returning the sampler. They have read the boards and are aware there is a problem.

it really sucks that they are aware of the problem, yet are doing nothing about it,
other than refunding the few people who call and complain, seems like a recall or at least a warning to all the customers that purchased the sampler would would go a long way in PR for Holts/ Fuente,
considering how dangerous mold can be to an expensive collection of cigars.

[CWS]

The shark I bought from Holts in the sampler had a slight mold. Smoke it this morning.

[Headbanger]

Another sand shark bites the dust! hay hay

[CWS]

And it was very nice indeed.

[Zman]

After reading this thread I nervously went to check on my stock. Fortunately everything looks good and no mold! :cool:

[avid toker]

You bought the sampler also Shane :eyequiver? Dayum!

I better check my sampler again, but I saw nothing at all.

I did against better judgement just to try the sand shark. This provided the perfect reason to return it and get my money back.

[kirscovitch]

been checking mine just about everyday and as of yet, no mold... (knock on wood)

[Zman]

It's quite disturbing to hear so many people experiencing mold on these fine cigars! I hope Fuente is taking this problem seriously and doing something about it!

[avid toker]

It's quite disturbing to hear so many people experiencing mold on these fine cigars! I hope Fuente is taking this problem seriously and doing something about it!

Holt's claims they will be in touch with Fuente regarding the mold issue. We'll see if Fuente takes the blame or whether they blame it on Holt's storage.

[Zman]

Holt's claims they will be in touch with Fuente regarding the mold issue. We'll see if Fuente takes the blame or whether they blame it on Holt's storage.

I don't see how they could possibly blame it soley on Holts since there are many people who have bought them from other places and are having similar mold issues.

[jcgoldner]

This is definetly not a Holts storage issue since these were never stored. Remember these are sold as soon as they get them in. The Carlitos Way sampler was stored for a bit, I would guess, but the only cigar in it with a problem was the cammy shark. To me the mold issue is on Fuente only. The issue with Holts is their claim of plume and not acknowledging that the mold issue is a problem or even exists.

[jcgoldner]

An update on my mold issues with Holts. I returned 18 Anejo cigars for a full refund on Friday. I received a cash refund of just under $170. I was a small consolation for returning the cigars and a sad time indeed. I was glad to see Holts do the right thing but I would have preferred to have the cigars instead. The $170 was the price I paid for the cigars plus the tax but it was no payback for the effort it took to aquire them, at 2 per day, or the fact I'll have no aged Anejo's to smoke a year from now. It was a lesson learned on inspecting cello cigars when I buy them.

[avid toker]

Inspecting them at purchase may not have done you any good. There was no evident mold on the Cameroon Shark when the sampler arrived. The mold issue appeared shortly thereafter. I'll be curious to see whether Fuente does a wholesale recall on their 2006 holiday Anejo's.

[indyrob]

An update on my mold issues with Holts. I returned 18 Anejo cigars for a full refund on Friday. I received a cash refund of just under $170. I was a small consolation for returning the cigars and a sad time indeed. I was glad to see Holts do the right thing but I would have preferred to have the cigars instead. The $170 was the price I paid for the cigars plus the tax but it was no payback for the effort it took to aquire them, at 2 per day, or the fact I'll have no aged Anejo's to smoke a year from now. It was a lesson learned on inspecting cello cigars when I buy them.
You should ask if you could have get first dibs on the next shipment or atleast a heads up prior to them going out on the floor.

[Halon]

Didn't have a problem with the whole 2 Anejos I got this year, but my Hemingway Classic maduro had a couple specks on the foot. No biggie tho, it was like one itty bitty piece of mold so I just brushed it off and smoked it.


TYLER

[Donk]

We should do a actual poll to find out how many brothers on this forum alone bought samplers rom Holt's and then second find out exactly how many of those brothers have had mold issues with their samplers. I would be really interested to see the percentages.

[Headbanger]

We should do a actual poll to find out how many brothers on this forum alone bought samplers rom Holt's and then second find out exactly how many of those brothers have had mold issues with their samplers. I would be really interested to see the percentages.


The Carlito's way sampler which included an exclusive sand shark (natural wrapper) was a Holt's exclusive and only sold in that sampler from what I read. If talking the natural wrapper problems will be 100% from Holt's. Like others say, more than likely these samplers were not stored at Holt's long enough to cause the problems. As most sharks seem to be the problem in both natural and maduro, must be how they are rolled at Fuente.

[Altercall]

I've got one regular Shark and my Sand Shark with mold.

[caudio51]

Wow, this is really a big issue. I never got around to ordering the sampler, just kept forgetting. I am glad I did not order it. I have two boxes worth of Anjeos from previous years so I didn't even bother picking up any 06's

It definitely seems like a Fuente problem. The store fronts have to fix the problem and I'm sure they will pass it along to fuente

[cvm4]

Tom, kinda makes me glad I didn't purchase any either.

[kirscovitch]

you guys keep freaking me out!!! still no mold here, but i keep looking and i just dread every time i peek to see a jungle on my sticks!!! :angryteet

[gpugliese]

An update on my mold issues with Holts. I returned 18 Anejo cigars for a full refund on Friday. I received a cash refund of just under $170. I was a small consolation for returning the cigars and a sad time indeed. I was glad to see Holts do the right thing but I would have preferred to have the cigars instead. The $170 was the price I paid for the cigars plus the tax but it was no payback for the effort it took to aquire them, at 2 per day, or the fact I'll have no aged Anejo's to smoke a year from now. It was a lesson learned on inspecting cello cigars when I buy them.

If you still are looking for Anejo's, call up Tampa Sweethearts. They don't have them listed on the site, but when I called a few weeks back, they had plenty (with limits, of course).

[jcgoldner]

Thanks for the heads up but I think I'll wait till the next batch comes out around the Holidays. Hopefully they will have the mold issue fixed by then.