CurtisEss
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2013
- Messages
- 12
I recently received a box of Monte EL 2010s and Monte EL 2012s from a certain supplier whose identity I have to protect as an unfortunate, indirect consequence of certain trade embargoes. The supplier is reputable from the standpoint of selling genuine articles, but disreputable from the standpoint of selling poorly cared for products (which I didn't know when I ordered the boxes). A few of the EL 2010s were beyond salvage with some fairly large patches of mold on the wrapper and some on the foot of a few of the cigars (concentrated around the edges of the box). The mold on the EL 2012s was considerably less severe, only a few spots of mold a few square millimeters each, concentrated on two cigars. Here's what I did.
1. I contacted the supplier and got them to take back the box that was beyond salvage, the EL 2010s. Of course, they insisted that it was probably plume as they had only seen a handful of instances of mold in the past 14 years. I copy-pasted the exact statement that the sales rep made into google and a few threads on the CA forums came up, suggesting that this was probably an understatement. I presented four observations that I had made that suggested that the white substance in question was mold rather than plume (there are many threads on mold vs. plume so I won't go into details), and said that of course I hoped that it was plume but I couldn't ignore the preponderance of evidence to the contrary. They agreed to take back the box. Problem 1 solved.
2. The Monte EL 2012s looked so delicious (save for the small amount of mold) that I wanted to eat one. I didn't. I did take the 8 that were not moldy, isolate them, and put them in a freezer bag along with a Boveda 69%. I took the two that were moldy and removed the mold by dampening a q-tip, wiping it off gently, and then patting the damp spot dry. I changed q-tips between cigars and washed my hands. I took these two cigars and placed them in their own bag with their own Boveda. I took the actual box and allowed it stand in the dry Colorado air (usually 25-40% RH this time of year). I'm not sure if it will ever be allowed inside my humidor. Quarantined. Next step.
3. I took a look at the other cigars that I had gotten from this vendor. Sure enough, a Cohiba robusto that came in a three pack had a small patch of mold on it (~4 mm^2). In a box of H. Upmann No. 2's a few had mold on them, in similar small patches. I gave all of these the q tip treatment, using fresh q-tips each time. I put the Cohiba with the two Monte EL 2012s and stored the H. Upmanns in their own bag with a Boveda. I took all the other cigars that did not have mold on them and isolated them in yet another bag with a Boveda. I took the H. Upmann box out of the humidor along with the shelf it was sitting on. I don't think this is too paranoid a treatment based on Setharsis's experience. Everything inside a bag went inside my frigidor at 60 F.
That brings us up to right now. I will report on what happens in the coming weeks/months, but I'm hoping that other people might share their experiences in dealing with small mold outbreaks in the long term. There are some often cited ways to slow/stop mold growth (especially lower RH, also lower temp), but any way you could think of to get rid of spores completely would also ruin your cigars. My due diligence on this subject hasn't turned up any clear cut answers.
1. I contacted the supplier and got them to take back the box that was beyond salvage, the EL 2010s. Of course, they insisted that it was probably plume as they had only seen a handful of instances of mold in the past 14 years. I copy-pasted the exact statement that the sales rep made into google and a few threads on the CA forums came up, suggesting that this was probably an understatement. I presented four observations that I had made that suggested that the white substance in question was mold rather than plume (there are many threads on mold vs. plume so I won't go into details), and said that of course I hoped that it was plume but I couldn't ignore the preponderance of evidence to the contrary. They agreed to take back the box. Problem 1 solved.
2. The Monte EL 2012s looked so delicious (save for the small amount of mold) that I wanted to eat one. I didn't. I did take the 8 that were not moldy, isolate them, and put them in a freezer bag along with a Boveda 69%. I took the two that were moldy and removed the mold by dampening a q-tip, wiping it off gently, and then patting the damp spot dry. I changed q-tips between cigars and washed my hands. I took these two cigars and placed them in their own bag with their own Boveda. I took the actual box and allowed it stand in the dry Colorado air (usually 25-40% RH this time of year). I'm not sure if it will ever be allowed inside my humidor. Quarantined. Next step.
3. I took a look at the other cigars that I had gotten from this vendor. Sure enough, a Cohiba robusto that came in a three pack had a small patch of mold on it (~4 mm^2). In a box of H. Upmann No. 2's a few had mold on them, in similar small patches. I gave all of these the q tip treatment, using fresh q-tips each time. I put the Cohiba with the two Monte EL 2012s and stored the H. Upmanns in their own bag with a Boveda. I took all the other cigars that did not have mold on them and isolated them in yet another bag with a Boveda. I took the H. Upmann box out of the humidor along with the shelf it was sitting on. I don't think this is too paranoid a treatment based on Setharsis's experience. Everything inside a bag went inside my frigidor at 60 F.
That brings us up to right now. I will report on what happens in the coming weeks/months, but I'm hoping that other people might share their experiences in dealing with small mold outbreaks in the long term. There are some often cited ways to slow/stop mold growth (especially lower RH, also lower temp), but any way you could think of to get rid of spores completely would also ruin your cigars. My due diligence on this subject hasn't turned up any clear cut answers.
