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Plume or Mold - the universal question?

I have a similar problem with a box of Partagas Coronas Senior Tubos. I recently acquired the box and when I went to put them in my humi this morning, I opened up the tubes to inspect them for any problems.
I found this in several tubes:
Gdej4ig.jpg

 
My first thought was mold due to the spotty appearance. However I went to wipe it off and it all wiped off with ease, without leaving any spots. All of the cigars similar to this only have white colored spots, no green or blue. The box date is May 2012 so I wasn't sure if plume can happen in only a year or if it takes longer.
 
If the mold is white and not on the foot, there should be no problem smoking them once you've wiped away the offensive fuzz.  Enjoy...and don't put the cigars back in those tubes.
 
Thanks guys, I'll do that. I have the rest in quarantine to see if they develop any mold.
 
pyro92 said:
Gdej4ig.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I suppose you truly do learn something everyday... even when you thought you knew...?
 
I've had many Many people ("Seasoned" including a 30 year smoker) tell me that this was plume. Including a lot of reading which brought me to the same conclusion.
My curiosity is still peaked however due to all the conflicting opinions... If this is mold, how does it have no base, no further infection so to speak other than the "dust/crystals" on the surface which wipes off with ease.
Logic would seem to point to plume from the simple fact that if the oils were crystalizing... one would think that it would look like this... crystals.
Only reference I have would be the crystals of THC when viewed under a microscope, have you viewed this under a microscope? I have, with the 1 cigar I have that looks similar if not identical.
 
I don't mean to continue this discussion or argue the point, I just want to definitively understand how & why this is considered mold, when it looks like crystals... Plume
Hope you can appreciate my wanting to be thorough & have a finer understanding/answer.
 
Yes... I have read this & other threads related here on CP, in total!!  :cool:
 
Thanks!!
 
EDITED: Punctuation
 
BigBear said:
Gdej4ig.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I suppose you truly do learn something everyday... even when you thought you knew...?
 
I've had many Many people ("Seasoned" including a 30 year smoker) tell me that this was plume. Including a lot of reading which brought me to the same conclusion.
My curiosity is still peaked however due to all the conflicting opinions... If this is mold, how does it have no base, no further infection so to speak other than the "dust/crystals" on the surface which wipes off with ease.
Logic would seem to point to plume from the simple fact that if the oils were crystalizing... one would think that it would look like this... crystals.
Only reference I have would be the crystals of THC when viewed under a microscope, have you viewed this under a microscope? I have, with the 1 cigar I have that looks similar if not identical.
 
I don't mean to continue this discussion or argue the point, I just want to definitively understand how & why this is considered mold, when it looks like crystals... Plume
Hope you can appreciate my wanting to be thorough & have a finer understanding/answer.
 
Yes... I have read this & other threads related here on CP, in total!!  :cool:
 
Thanks!!
 
EDITED: Punctuation
Click to expand...
 
 
 
That was my reason for asking. After reading threads on here and on other websites, all signs pointed to plume. The only things against it is the fact that most people argue it's a rare occurrence and plume occurs over a large area,rather then spots. If that is true, it would seem almost to good to be true to get 6 cigars with plume on them. The spots are totally white and wipe off without hardly touching them. They are not fuzzy and they feel almost gritty when wiped off.
 
Since we're on the subject of mold, I'll pose one for the experts:  Can a cigar grow mold internally and not visible even if there is no presentation on the wrapper, externally?  
 
As previously indicated, I had a box of RyJ#2 tubos out of which only a handful did not have mold on them.  I took them out of the tubes and placed them in a separate humidor.  I've smoked one semi-recently and it tasted on par with every other RyJ Romeo#2's I've smoked.  I went to smoke another tonight, and it tasted very mildewy.  I smoked about an inch of the stick hoping it would go away, but it did not, so I tossed it.  I plan on cutting into it and dissecting it tomorrow, but it was too late and I just had not the inclination to do it tonight.  
 
BigBear said:
Gdej4ig.jpg
i
Click to expand...
 
I suppose you truly do learn something everyday... even when you thought you knew...?
 
I've had many Many people ("Seasoned" including a 30 year smoker) tell me that this was plume. Including a lot of reading which brought me to the same conclusion.
My curiosity is still peaked however due to all the conflicting opinions... If this is mold, how does it have no base, no further infection so to speak other than the "dust/crystals" on the surface which wipes off with ease.
Logic would seem to point to plume from the simple fact that if the oils were crystalizing... one would think that it would look like this... crystals.
Only reference I have would be the crystals of THC when viewed under a microscope, have you viewed this under a microscope? I have, with the 1 cigar I have that looks similar if not identical.
 
I don't mean to continue this discussion or argue the point, I just want to definitively understand how & why this is considered mold, when it looks like crystals... Plume
Hope you can appreciate my wanting to be thorough & have a finer understanding/answer.
 
Yes... I have read this & other threads related here on CP, in total!!  :cool:
 
Thanks!!
 
EDITED: Punctuation
Click to expand...
I don't know how your seeing crystals. it looks like fuzzy white dots to me. Break out the magnifying glass and they'll look hairy, not crystalline. Take a picture when you do. 
 
JHolmes763 said:
 

Gdej4ig.jpg
i
Click to expand...
 
I suppose you truly do learn something everyday... even when you thought you knew...?
 
I've had many Many people ("Seasoned" including a 30 year smoker) tell me that this was plume. Including a lot of reading which brought me to the same conclusion.
My curiosity is still peaked however due to all the conflicting opinions... If this is mold, how does it have no base, no further infection so to speak other than the "dust/crystals" on the surface which wipes off with ease.
Logic would seem to point to plume from the simple fact that if the oils were crystalizing... one would think that it would look like this... crystals.
Only reference I have would be the crystals of THC when viewed under a microscope, have you viewed this under a microscope? I have, with the 1 cigar I have that looks similar if not identical.
 
I don't mean to continue this discussion or argue the point, I just want to definitively understand how & why this is considered mold, when it looks like crystals... Plume
Hope you can appreciate my wanting to be thorough & have a finer understanding/answer.
 
Yes... I have read this & other threads related here on CP, in total!!  :cool:
 
Thanks!!
 
EDITED: Punctuation
Click to expand...
I don't know how your seeing crystals. it looks like fuzzy white dots to me. Break out the magnifying glass and they'll look hairy, not crystalline. Take a picture when you do. 

They will even look like tiny mushrooms, with really long stems and little caps. Probably real tough to stuff.
 
JHolmes763 said:
 

Gdej4ig.jpg
i
Click to expand...
 
I suppose you truly do learn something everyday... even when you thought you knew...?
 
I've had many Many people ("Seasoned" including a 30 year smoker) tell me that this was plume. Including a lot of reading which brought me to the same conclusion.
My curiosity is still peaked however due to all the conflicting opinions... If this is mold, how does it have no base, no further infection so to speak other than the "dust/crystals" on the surface which wipes off with ease.
Logic would seem to point to plume from the simple fact that if the oils were crystalizing... one would think that it would look like this... crystals.
Only reference I have would be the crystals of THC when viewed under a microscope, have you viewed this under a microscope? I have, with the 1 cigar I have that looks similar if not identical.
 
I don't mean to continue this discussion or argue the point, I just want to definitively understand how & why this is considered mold, when it looks like crystals... Plume
Hope you can appreciate my wanting to be thorough & have a finer understanding/answer.
 
Yes... I have read this & other threads related here on CP, in total!!  :cool:
 
Thanks!!
 
EDITED: Punctuation
Click to expand...
I don't know how your seeing crystals. it looks like fuzzy white dots to me. Break out the magnifying glass and they'll look hairy, not crystalline. Take a picture when you do. 

FYI THC is NOT crystals, people just use that term to describe it with the naked eye. It's a organic compound that looks nothing like a crystalline structure. Think sugar, salt when looking for Plume, hard geometric lines. 
 
If the patch on the cigars you're looking at resembles THC, it's MOLD no doubt about it.  Once I pull the trigger on a nice Macro lens for my Nikon I'll put this argument to rest once and for all. 
 
tumblr_mbpieec78v1qhouako1_500.png
  <-Tetrahydrocannabinol aka THC
mould-bread-2204832.jpg

image041.jpg

The above is a macro photo of white mold on bread. 
 
Backslide said:
 

 

Gdej4ig.jpg
i
Click to expand...
 
I suppose you truly do learn something everyday... even when you thought you knew...?
 
I've had many Many people ("Seasoned" including a 30 year smoker) tell me that this was plume. Including a lot of reading which brought me to the same conclusion.
My curiosity is still peaked however due to all the conflicting opinions... If this is mold, how does it have no base, no further infection so to speak other than the "dust/crystals" on the surface which wipes off with ease.
Logic would seem to point to plume from the simple fact that if the oils were crystalizing... one would think that it would look like this... crystals.
Only reference I have would be the crystals of THC when viewed under a microscope, have you viewed this under a microscope? I have, with the 1 cigar I have that looks similar if not identical.
 
I don't mean to continue this discussion or argue the point, I just want to definitively understand how & why this is considered mold, when it looks like crystals... Plume
Hope you can appreciate my wanting to be thorough & have a finer understanding/answer.
 
Yes... I have read this & other threads related here on CP, in total!!  :cool:
 
Thanks!!
 
EDITED: Punctuation
Click to expand...
I don't know how your seeing crystals. it looks like fuzzy white dots to me. Break out the magnifying glass and they'll look hairy, not crystalline. Take a picture when you do. 

FYI THC is NOT crystals, people just use that term to describe it with the naked eye. It's a organic compound that looks nothing like a crystalline structure. Think sugar, salt when looking for Plume, hard geometric lines. 
 
If the patch on the cigars you're looking at resembles THC, it's MOLD no doubt about it.  Once I pull the trigger on a nice Macro lens for my Nikon I'll put this argument to rest once and for all. 
 
tumblr_mbpieec78v1qhouako1_500.png
  <-Tetrahydrocannabinol aka THC
mould-bread-2204832.jpg

image041.jpg

The above is a macro photo of white mold on bread. 

 
Firstly... Thank you all for baring with me & giving great examples, etc... Much Appreciated.
I'm familiar with your THC example from my younger days (just didn't know how else to describe what I was seeing), So yes... Agreed!!
I also believe I better understand the Mold vs Plume now, I simply figured that it would have varying colors as apposed to straight white & it being dusty.
I searched a brief bit yesterday & was able to find mold on Raspberries which resembled the mold I was seeing somewhat, so my thinking began turning from that.
Jason, your example of the bread mold was a great one as well, I believe I can put the previous thoughts to bed & agree completely with all the input received.
It's Mold!! & Plum is RARE!!  :thumbs:
 
I have a box of PLPC's from 2009 that is covered in plume. Once I score a macro lens for my D SLR I'll post a pic or 10 :)

Jason
 
FYI THC is NOT crystals, people just use that term to describe it with the naked eye. It's a organic compound that looks nothing like a crystalline structure. Think sugar, salt when looking for Plume, hard geometric lines. 
 
 
 
I don't know how your seeing crystals. it looks like fuzzy white dots to me. Break out the magnifying glass and they'll look hairy, not crystalline. Take a picture when you do. 
 
If the patch on the cigars you're looking at resembles THC, it's MOLD no doubt about it.  Once I pull the trigger on a nice Macro lens for my Nikon I'll put this argument to rest once and for all. 
Click to expand...
 
 
 
And where did this THC sample come from, pray tell. Sourced for scientific purposes, I'm sure.


That "macro" picture of mold on bread...It looks like a god damn anemones and it's freaking me out. Can you imagine if you walked into your kitchen and one of those stems was all up in your face just waving around?
 
Definitely mold. Too bad you'll have to smoke those babies down real soon here. :D The salt/sugar image best describes the appearance of plume. Think lightly moistening a cigar wrapper and then evenly sprinkling it with a miniscule amount of table salt or fine-grain sugar. Mold looks like the picture above.
 
Sorry to see/hear about the mold. I would like to also say that sometimes people are blind when it comes to this topic. Almost every party store it seems nowadays has a humidor in it, and most of them, at least around me do not know how to properly maintain them. I've given up on the mold vs plume debate but everyone I've told that there may be some sticks with mold on them in their and/or maybe their humidity is a touch high, look at me like I'm crazy and tell me how it's plume and the best smoke I'll ever have.

Maybe it's pride or something or maybe they don't want to believe that some of their sticks are bad. I don't know. He'll maybe they are just full of it and they don't want to lose money on them. I've seen it in actual cigar shops too, and they hate it if brought up. They should know better IMO.
 
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