What is plume?
- Thread starter DRL1211
- Start date
Kurtdesign1
The Thinker
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2004
- Messages
- 1,415
Don't know the tech answer for you giving you the chemical makeup and everything, but I know for a fact it is not mold. Blue Mold is something entirely different that can grow on cigars that have been over-humidified. Plume is a natural secretion from tobacco that has been stored in optimum conditions. Has something to do with the natural oils of a cigar that are also secreted from the wrapper. One of the bigdogs on here will have a better answer sooner or later.
White spots on the wrapper of the cigar. I think it is the oils that come out of the cigar that dry on the wrapper, which could be minerals found in the oil or the oil itself. Some believe that it is a good sign of proper age, and some believe that the cigar was not aged correctly. The same goes for taste, Some believe that it helps the taste and some don't. The only thing I believe and know is that every cigar that I smoked with plume has been just as good if not better, and that with white spots don't be worried.
DocRKS
Herf Doctor
PLUME is BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!
It confirms proper storage and aging in your cigar humi system. White dusty spots or covering - easily brushed off....
If however - what you hope is plume exhibits signs of little hairs growing out of it ---that's MOLD and possibly Fungus ----not good...... get that out of your humi and look around at each stick as well as the area the ruined cigar was stored in to make sure the mold/fungus didn't cling onto the cedar...
It confirms proper storage and aging in your cigar humi system. White dusty spots or covering - easily brushed off....
If however - what you hope is plume exhibits signs of little hairs growing out of it ---that's MOLD and possibly Fungus ----not good...... get that out of your humi and look around at each stick as well as the area the ruined cigar was stored in to make sure the mold/fungus didn't cling onto the cedar...
Below is somewhat of a technical answer.
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.
Mold, however, is a fungus, growing on overly humidified stogies. 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 appears when the RH passes 85%.
Saving the moldy cigars is going to be tough. Wipe off the contaminated cigars (contaminated ones only! - don't spread the mold!) with a clean paper towel, slightly moistened with distilled water. Separate the contaminated cigars from the others.
Make some kind of temporary humidor for those contaminated ones. Put it in the refrigerator. (yes, it's okay - refrigeration will dry them out without a source of humidity.)
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.
Mold, however, is a fungus, growing on overly humidified stogies. 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 appears when the RH passes 85%.
Saving the moldy cigars is going to be tough. Wipe off the contaminated cigars (contaminated ones only! - don't spread the mold!) with a clean paper towel, slightly moistened with distilled water. Separate the contaminated cigars from the others.
Make some kind of temporary humidor for those contaminated ones. Put it in the refrigerator. (yes, it's okay - refrigeration will dry them out without a source of humidity.)
Yep, dusty covering=Plume/Bloom, fuzzy spots=mold.
Saw some nice plume'd out Bucaneros at a local shop (jeez, I need to get back there) and it was obvious it was Plume. Nice whitish covering all over the cigar.
I've also heard that Plume tends to form due to changes in temperature? I mean the cigar still has to have the potential for plume (lots of oil), but that a change in temp either preciptates plume or is necessary for it. Any comments from the more knowledgeable?
Saw some nice plume'd out Bucaneros at a local shop (jeez, I need to get back there) and it was obvious it was Plume. Nice whitish covering all over the cigar.
I've also heard that Plume tends to form due to changes in temperature? I mean the cigar still has to have the potential for plume (lots of oil), but that a change in temp either preciptates plume or is necessary for it. Any comments from the more knowledgeable?
It is a common misconception that cigars can somehow become "contaminated" by mold growing on other cigars in the humidor. Strictly speaking, this is just not true.The Prince said:
Every cigar ever produced leaves the factory with mold spores in/on it. This is an unavoidable consequence of the drying/curing/fermenting/warehousing process. That's why maintaining temperature and humidity within a certain, relatively narrow range, is so critical. Let the RH go too high, and you WILL see those spores develop into mold.
However, dealing with mold (should you be so unfortunate as to have to do so) is not all that difficult....IF you have surface mold. (Once mold gets into the filler, the cigar is toast.) Surface mold can be carefully wiped off with a clean dry cloth. Once that's done, dryboxing the cigar for a week or so should bring its RH low enough to shut down the mold growth, at which point it can be returned to the humidor - AS LONG AS that humidor is maintaining a proper RH level.
Bloom ("plume") is an entirely different beast. Mold bad; bloom very very good.