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Mold Plume debate

bluue13

bluue13

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
3,343
I know there are countless discussions on this but I figured I would just share my experience.

I went to my B&M (which is becoming less and less my B&M for many reasons) as it is 1/2 mile down the street from me and they have a wide selection and competitive prices. The problem is the last few times Ive been there I have observed moldy sticks in more than one display box. They keep their humidity level between 73-75% which to me seems a bit high even for a shop. I also feel that every shop owner should do a walk through every day they open and do a quick check to see if there is anything off. If there is mold, pull the box. But in any case...

I have up until this point been somewhat reserved about mentioning anything to the shop keeper as I know that mold v. plume is a heated debate, I'm young (or at least I look it), and from what I've read/heard most shop keepers argue on the side of plume.

Well this particular shopping trip (yesterday) I noticed a selection of different anejos out in the display so I naturally got excited and grabbed a few #46s. I know that anejos carry a high risk of mold under the cedar wrap and knew I was taking a chance esp. with the high humidity of the shop but I went for it anyway.

When I got home I had to investigate my curiosity so I took off the cello and cedar and saw what I would dub as mold all over the wrapper. I figured well, a shop should make it right if they sell bad sticks so I'll go back tomorrow when I have time and exchange them. All the while I hear the voice in my head saying: "you know they're just going to tell you its plume."

Well I got up my nerve and went back today, showed the owner the sticks and said that I know theres always a debate about mold and plume but I really think this is mold. She said no way honey that is plume. I said, ehhh I'm really not sure and I dont want to risk contaminating the rest of my humi so is it ok if I exchange them out? She obliged and it wasn't as much of an argument as I figured it would be. There happened to be another customer in the shop and he came up and took a look and said "ohhh yeah dude that is totally plume. I've been smoking for 20 years I know it when I see it." So at this point I'm feeling like a dumb kid who doesn't know the difference, but I know that I dont want to take the chance even if it was plume.

So in any case, I took a really blurry picture with my phone but here it is. Can anyone tell from the picture? Again sorry its so blurry.

moldplume.jpg
 
Even with a blurry pic...I'd go for MOLD!


Could it be easily brushe off?


Geesh...someone needs to put up a website with that kinda info!
 
grateful1 said:
Even with a blurry pic...I'd go for MOLD!


Could it be easily brushe off?


Geesh...someone needs to put up a website with that kinda info!
Click to expand...


Yeah it brushed right off when i ran my finger over it. I really figured it was mold but I hate that the debate between the two makes me so unsure! The lady at the shop also said that the definitive way to tell was that cigar mold is blue or green and plume is white. This is fairy white but man it reaaaallly looks like mold.

MilesMingusMonk said:
The cedar wrapped Anejos are notorious for developing mold, as pictured.
Click to expand...

Right! And I knew that like I said in the OP so I shared that with her. Also the "mold" is only from the wrap down which really seems to support the mold argument.
 
Doesn't plume develop over a long period of time say, years? If these are recently rolled sticks there's no way that could be plume, right?
 
Mold. Unless the cheese I had in my fridge grows plume as well. Of all the pics I've seen in the mold/plume debate the VAST majority have been mold.
 
txraddoc said:
Doesn't plume develop over a long period of time say, years? If these are recently rolled sticks there's no way that could be plume, right?
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly. How could a new production run of cigars develop plume so quickly...especially when Fuente Anejos are historically known for this issue under the cedar wrap. These shop owners crack me up...my guy is the same way. His attitude is that he knows way more than anyone because he owns a cigar shop... :rolleyes:

Of course it's mold...you did the right thing in bringing them back and the other customer there that agreed with the shop owner certainly hasn't learned all that much in the '20 years he's been smoking'.
 
ironpeddler said:
txraddoc said:
Doesn't plume develop over a long period of time say, years? If these are recently rolled sticks there's no way that could be plume, right?
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly. How could a new production run of cigars develop plume so quickly...especially when Fuente Anejos are historically known for this issue under the cedar wrap. These shop owners crack me up...my guy is the same way. His attitude is that he knows way more than anyone because he owns a cigar shop... :rolleyes:

Of course it's mold...you did the right thing in bringing them back and the other customer there that agreed with the shop owner certainly hasn't learned all that much in the '20 years he's been smoking'.
Click to expand...


This is the part that gets me the most. I've been seriously smoking for about 2 years and I feel like I can recognize mold better than these shop owners. I guess everyone wants more than anything for their cigars to have plume so they'll jump right to that over mold in the hopes that someone less knowledgeable will go for it and they'll still make a buck.

I'm glad that she did the right thing and changed out the sticks but still, unless you KNOW that its plume, don't try and sell it that way. Shouldn't someone who has been in the biz for years know that anejos are prone to mold under the cedar wrap? I've only been smoking them for 2 years and I know that! I did want to bring up to her that mold is splotchy and plume from what I've seen is uniform coverage of the whole stick.

hahaha I'm laughing to myself now as I remember more of the conversation. She actually did say at one point that "you know the cedar does help the cigar age and as it ages it develops those spots of plume." I was thinking to myself...I dont think that means from the wrapper down is going to age faster than the cap...

Oh well. At least I know that my original thoughts were correct. I do think that I'm going to go to a new shop though from now on. Id rather not have to deal with the debate in the future!

edit to add- When I say "these shop owners" I obviously do not mean ALL shop owners. I know there are some great and honest merchants out there and a number of them are right here at CP.
 
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