Concerns about mold?

[Dick Leighton]

A couple weeks ago, I received a cigar as a gift and placed it in my desktop humidor. Have about 150 sticks in there.

The cigar looks fine but I just found out that the store where it was purchased has a walk-in humidor with several boxes of moldy cigars in their shop. It's a relatively new store but how they never noticed this, is beyond me.

Right now there's no sign of trouble but should I be concerned about mold or spores or something?

 

[Rupe]

I'm no expert but as long as it is not showing any mold and the humidity in your humidor is at a reasonable level I don't think you have any cause for concern.

If you are worried about it, just smoke it instead of putting it in with the rest of your sticks....problem solved.

 

[Dick Leighton]

If you are worried about it, just smoke it instead of putting it in with the rest of your sticks....problem solved.

Yeah, I took it out and plan on smoking it but the problem would be that it's already been in the humidor for a couple weeks.

 

[sofc]

I'm no humidification expert, I just play one on BOTL but I don't think mold can stay hidden and jump after a period of time. Not like beatles that can stay dormant for a while. Especially since there are no mold spores on the cigar you brought home.

 

[Dick Leighton]

I'm no humidification expert, I just play one on BOTL but I don't think mold can stay hidden and jump after a period of time. Not like beatles that can stay dormant for a while. Especially since there are no mold spores on the cigar you brought home.

Thanks! That's what I was wondering.
I'm not panicking by any means, just curious and slightly concerned.

 

[boltman]

I'm no humidification expert, I just play one on BOTL but I don't think mold can stay hidden and jump after a period of time. Not like beatles that can stay dormant for a while. Especially since there are no mold spores on the cigar you brought home.

What is the maximum time a beetle can stay dormant? If you have no sign of beetles and have not added new cigars are you safe after 3 years?

 

[sofc]

What is the maximum time a beetle can stay dormant? If you have no sign of beetles and have not added new cigars are you safe after 3 years?

honestly don't know the answer for sure but I have heard different dates from a year to forever.

 

[boltman]

honestly don't know the answer for sure but I have heard different dates from a year to forever.

Last summer the temp on my humi got up to 77 degrees for a couple weeks during the day. No sign of beetles after 9 months. I assume if I had beetles they would have shown up.

 

[StogieNinja]

Saka posted once that it was something like 270 days. So figure after a year, if you've had a sealed environment with no new cigars introduced, you'd be safe for sure.

 

[Mossome]

The eggs are only viable for up to about 35 days. The larva period can be up to 30 days, but they can "overwinter" and remain dormant up to 250 days.

This was his quote.

 

[Dick Leighton]

So I spoke with someone at the cigar shop and they claimed it was cigar plume. Crystallization of the oils in the cigar. It distinctly looked like mold to me.....

 

[OtismyMan]

I found this link which contains a good description of the difference between Mold and Plume. It has good pics of each...

https://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/thread/630996.aspx

 

[Rupe]

I found this link which contains a good description of the difference between Mold and Plume. It has good pics of each...

https://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/thread/630996.aspx

Awesome link that describes it perfectly...Thanks for posting

I am repeatedly blown away by the number of cigar retailers (both B&Ms and internet) that consistently get it wrong. I'm not sure if it's ignorance, denial or a combination of the two but I see it all the time. The rule of thumb that I always go by is that if it's fuzzy, it's mold. Period.

 

[boltman]

Saka posted once that it was something like 270 days. So figure after a year, if you've had a sealed environment with no new cigars introduced, you'd be safe for sure.

As I breathe a sigh of relief.

 

[Dick Leighton]

I found this link which contains a good description of the difference between Mold and Plume. It has good pics of each...

https://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/thread/630996.aspx

This is very informative. Thanks for sharing and FYI this what the cigars looked like in the shop (image is from the link):

 

[Lezanstar]

Mold.

 

[Zigarro]

I found this link which contains a good description of the difference between Mold and Plume. It has good pics of each...

https://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/thread/630996.aspx

Those Diamond Crowns made me want to cry!

 

[Cigary43]

Mold just makes me a bit nervous...you're probably safe but I'd keep an eye on the humidor for awhile and throw that moldy bastid into solitary...just wipe it down with a paper towel ( moist ) and if it isn't on the foot of the cigar you're good to go...and if it is on the foot take your cutter and start cutting until you don't see any mold...light it up and drink 3 fingers of bourbon just in case you didn't get all of the mold.

 

[Zigarro]

...light it up and drink 3 fingers of bourbon just in case you didn't get all of the mold.

Best answer yet!