Mould!

[Puff Scotty]

I just wonder if the box date is any good at all as a determiner of when or not a cigar might accumulate plume. After all, the tobacco itself might be four to six years old before being rolled.

I have a box of Boli Bonitas 07 which a showing crystalisation and a cab of HdM du Marie 05s that are showing signs of plumeing along nicely.

Humidity within humidors and more likely tuppadors can I think be caused to fluctuate. Rapid changes in temperature or in barometric pressure being the primary culprits.

One of the reasons I always say "may". Who knows that the cigars in your box didn't come from the back of the warehouse & had been there for yonks!

[daverave999]

Hi I agree again, although I've been knocked already on this thread...

No worries.
I'm not trying to have an argument, just parrotting what I read elsewhere. Which may make me naive.
That said, there's loads of different factors that affect cigar storage. More than we are aware of in all likelihood!

YMMV

[bambini]

Guys, I'm finding the bloom debate riveting, really I am, but I can't help but feel that the thread I'm using to (barely) contain the anxiety I'm feeling about potentially losing my entire cigar collection to mould has been jacked somewhat

Now, I'm not possessive of my threads, and I actually quite like the way they drift, but I essentially started this thread to have a mild panic and for my fellow BOTLs to reassure me and take me gently through the steps to a mould-free life, and as yet I'm not feeling that my needs have been met adequately.

Please, oh please, could someone just read through the questions I asked a few posts ago and then post a lovely thread that says "now bambini, everything is going to be fine, tipp has given you some excellent advice on how to fix the mould, and here's how you can stop it from ever happening again...[INSERT HELPFUL ADVICE HERE]."

And yes, I'm completely conscious of how emotionally needy I'm sounding at the moment

[Watkins]

If you really must here's a guide to stop any mold.
First empty the humidor into tupperware for temporary storage.
Put the humidor directly under a light and leave it on for 24-48 hours, light kills mold.
Check all cigars before placing back into the humidor.
Get a digital hygrometer and place in a different location to analogue to see any difference in different areas.
if needs must place a veneer of spanish cedar directly below the humidifier.

That's the most I'd ever do, But honestly I wouldn't be too worried. Worst case is the same would happen to the ones below again and will need to be wiped off.

That's just my personal opinion btw and someone may have more knowledge than me when it comes to this.

[El Catador]

Now, bambini, everything is going to be fine, tipp has given you some excellent advice on how to fix the mould, and here's how you can stop it from ever happening again...

Replace analogue hygrometer with (reliable) digital model, replace humidifier with 65% heartfelt beads or similar (IMHO).

Don't panic!
All will be well.



Most of us have encountered it at sometime or other - it's not as scary as you think.

If in doubt . . just smoke 'em all!!!

[Smallclub]

Replace analogue hygrometer with (reliable) digital model, replace humidifier with 65% heartfelt beads or similar (IMHO).

Definitely the way to go. If you prefer to smoke your cigars at 70%, get a small "finishing" desktop humidor or a jar? the "finishing in a jar" was very fashionable some years ago?

[Puff Scotty]

Put the humidor directly under a light and leave it on for 24-48 hours, light kills mold.

Bambini, sorry about the earlier drifting, you will always get a conflict on this subject.
But not to scare you unduly IMHO I'm not sure about the above advice, I'm not saying it's wrong but does anybody have any idea about what levels of UV we're talking about?
You have time to sort this out if you've isolated the visibly infected cigars, so don't panic, all will come good. If you PM your address I'll post you some cigars to lessen the anxiety.
Regards,
Puff

[Stevieboy]

If it wipes off easily it's plume. If not, it's mould or you ate sugar-doughnuts the last time you handled them

I've had plume on young boxes before...even as young as two years old.

[PoohBore]

I've been struck down with mould last weekend. It was on a cohiba robusto that was in it's box. so can i assume from that that it picked up spores elsewhere? I have 65% heartfelt beads and a calibrated hygrometer whichs reads 65+- 1 deg. The White fluffy stuff glowed nicely under a uv light.

[Puff Scotty]

Poor old Bambini, you have my sympathy, nobody reads the answers either!

Please, oh please, could someone just read through the questions I asked a few posts ago

The White fluffy stuff glowed nicely under a uv light.

Any idea what wavelength it flouressed at?

[El Catador]

I've been struck down with mould last weekend. It was on a cohiba robusto that was in it's box. so can i assume from that that it picked up spores elsewhere? I have 65% heartfelt beads and a calibrated hygrometer whichs reads 65+- 1 deg. The White fluffy stuff glowed nicely under a uv light.

Hi Pooh

This may be a daft question (its my forte), but when you say 'box' are you talking about wooden or cardboard?

One thing worth mentioning when discussing 'how to avoid mould' is temperature - the higher it gets the more likely it'll flourish.
In my experience anything over 21 degrees centigrade is worrying.

[Smallclub]

Put the humidor directly under a light and leave it on for 24-48 hours, light kills mold.

UV light, black light, maybe. Light does not prevent mold from growing in poorly ventilated bathrooms, for instance.

[PoohBore]

It was in the Cohiba cardboard box / sleeve. Its odd because its in my 7 drawer singles humi and nothing else has anything on it.

[El Catador]

It was in the Cohiba cardboard box / sleeve. Its odd because its in my 7 drawer singles humi and nothing else has anything on it.

I wondered if that might be the case.
I'm reaching here (so if anyone has an alternative theory, I'm more than happy to concede), but:

I'm guessing that the hygroscopic properties of the tobacco and cardboard are slightly different, and with the cardboard drawing in a higher level of moisture from the ambient air, it may have resulted in the cardboard tube becoming its own (self-contained) mini humidor.
Only with a raised RH and no airflow.
Classic conditions for mould to thrive.

As mentioned, I may be wrong about this, but it might be worth removing the cigars from the cardboard packaging and storing them separately.

Out of curiosity, I'd be interested to hear of others experiences of this, as I suspect you've been pretty unlucky.

Bloody Cohiba too.
Still, it's good excuse to smoke it.

[PoohBore]

I did on the same day. It's the only one I had so I'm not toobothered but will be very careful in future