Did I achieve Plume?!

[Monterey]

Never sure anymore.  I did my quarterly check on my cigars today and found that my 6 year old Montecristo #2 had a nice light haze over them.   A light crystallization/haze covers the cigars almost completely.    The feet are clean (no mold in the cigar)

On the pro plume side is that it was really hard to take a picture showing what I see in person.  Camera's aren't great for picking up a slight haze.

On the no plume side, the cigars are only 6 years old and plume is a myth.  Thoughts?  Wish I had better pictures.  The cigars are GORGEOUS in person.  

 

[Sean3]

Oh boy, let the fun begin! 

[KnightsAnole]

After reading recent, historic, investigations into the matter, I am beginning to believe that one ‘achieves’ plume when one is so confident in their storage Kung Fu, that the white stuff has no other explanation.? Must say they are nice looking cigars, I’d smoke em.

[oliverdst]

1 hour ago, Monterey said:

Never sure anymore.  I did my quarterly check on my cigars today and found that my 6 year old Montecristo #2 had a nice light haze over them.   A light crystallization/haze covers the cigars almost completely.    The feet are clean (no mold in the cigar)

On the pro plume side is that it was really hard to take a picture showing what I see in person.  Camera's aren't great for picking up a slight haze.

On the no plume side, the cigars are only 6 years old and plume is a myth.  Thoughts?  Wish I had better pictures.  The cigars are GORGEOUS in person.  

 

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/topic/131757-final-mould-report/

 

[99call]

From the research the FOH team has done. (so far) it would suggest.

- Cigars with no visible surface products, are ageing successfully (obviously on the back of ideal storage)

- Cigars that feature a light coating of one of many different types of Mould (AKA Plume) are not in any grave danger, can be wiped down and continue on

- Cigars that are fuzzy as Chuck Norris's face are in a bad way. 

I think the quest for plume is a bit of nonsense. I'm sure those cigars in the picture taste great (and they look great), whether it be plume, or light mould. To me the focus is at the other end of the spectrum i.e I just don't want dry or mouldy cigars, if I can avoid that.....I'm happy

Like Bruce Lee said in Enter the Dragon. "It's like a finger pointing to the moon, .....Do not concentrate on the finger, or you will miss all the heavenly glory".

 

 

[PigFish]

I would think it is safe to say that 'anything' fuzzy on a cigar is at best not bad, at worst, a problem.

The question then to me, is why is there shit on my cigars?

I will not open up a book on 'what may be' wrong with your storage, but if I were you, I would start looking into circulation and high rH areas in your cooler. Cigars get moldy because they are not stored correctly. Mold or no mold, it is likely mold, and you got it because the cigars are stored next to a free water source.

My 2cts. Be vigilant, stay happy! -Piggy

[El Presidente]

Greg can comment further (he takes the macro shots) but everything put up that looks like that photo has proved to be mould to date. We put up the results of 5-10 more tested this week. 

 

[feral]

Nice bloom!

[investandprosper]

Plume doesn't grow on bands

[GrouchoMarx]

Best way to be sure would be to send me a half dozen for immediate testing. 

[Monterey]

There is nothing on the bands.

[Monterey]

Storage conditions are not an issue.  Room runs 60-63.  Humidity is around 63-65.  My units keep fairly rock solid number with little effort.  I'm not saying one way or another what I have, but I have never seen this before and I have many aged cigars.  I can say that it is cigar porn.  I have to remind myself to put the shelf back in and close the humidor as I'm messing up the conditions with the unit open.  But it is beautiful, no matter what it turns out to be.      If it turns out to be mold, it wipes off clean with ease, so I'm good either way.

[JBFurdog]

Take one outside in the sun. If it sparkles then I’d say plume. I can’t remember a time that a moldy cigar glistened in the sun. 

[Fugu]

1 hour ago, Monterey said:

I have to remind myself to put the shelf back in and close the humidor as I'm messing up the conditions with the unit open.

But why then do you store them on an open rack? My advice would be to keep them in their box.

1 hour ago, JBFurdog said:

Take one outside in the sun. If it sparkles then I’d say plume. I can’t remember a time that a moldy cigar glistened in the sun.

And I yet wondered why Rob & crew are going the extra mile....

[Monterey]

I store everything in their original boxes but then pull out what I'm going to smoke in the next 6 months and put them on the racks so that humidity evens around them.  I find that cigars burn more evenly this way.  That and I can quickly grab a cigar when I want.  Less time with open doors where temp/humidity are controlled.  Else I would  pull out a box, open the box, grab a cigar, close the box, put the box back in and close the door.  Just a convenience  thing.  Those cigars in the picture were in a box for 6 years before I pulled them out 2 days ago. They will all be consumed in the next 2 months.

[canadianbeaver]

Welcome Monterey and congratulations on your plume cigars. Enjoy them and find a great drink to go with them.

Did you watch the World Series? It was awesome.

CB

 

 

 

[JBFurdog]

1 hour ago, Fugu said:

 

And I yet wondered why Rob & crew are going the extra mile....

No doubt that all those pics are mold spores. Frankly the best pics of mold on a cigar I’ve seen.  Seriously though, does mold crystallize and sparkle in the sunlight?  

[Monterey]

38 minutes ago, JBFurdog said:

No doubt that all those pics are mold spores. Frankly the best pics of mold on a cigar I’ve seen.  Seriously though, does mold crystallize and sparkle in the sunlight?  

There are no spores.  Your comment "Frankly the best pic of mold on a cigar I've seen" is the silliest comment I've heard and shows you know nothing.  I'm open to it being mold, but your comment just shows your attempt to be negative and not helpful.  Please move on to other threads.  

 

[rcarlson]

How about sending one to Prez for a look-see?  Maybe you've captured Sasquatch.  

[David88]

From following the FoH mould/plume investigation thread I would say I am pretty certain that the substance on those cigars is mould. I’m also pretty certain now that ‘plume’ does not exist, although I would be very happy to be proved wrong! Of course that doesn’t mean your cigars are bad, just wipe it off and smoke away! 

[JBFurdog]

40 minutes ago, Monterey said:

There are no spores.  Your comment "Frankly the best pic of mold on a cigar I've seen" is the silliest comment I've heard and shows you know nothing.  I'm open to it being mold, but your comment just shows your attempt to be negative and not helpful.  Please move on to other threads.  

 

A negative sounding reply was never my intention.  I’m sorry you took it as such.   The pics I was referring to are in the link below from another reply in this thread. My question is legit. Does mold sparkle? 

 

18 hours ago, oliverdst said:

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/topic/131757-final-mould-report/

 

 

[investandprosper]

5 hours ago, Monterey said:

There is nothing on the bands.

I was referring to this, it looks like it's on a few.  Maybe just dusty.

 

 

[PapaDisco]

19 hours ago, 99call said:

- Cigars that are fuzzy as Chuck Norris's face are in a bad way. 

 

Who you callin' fuzzy??

https://imgur.com/gallery/s0P5io9

[Monterey]

3 hours ago, rcarlson said:

How about sending one to Prez for a look-see?  Maybe you've captured Sasquatch.  

Gladly!  Rob, if you are interested, send me a message on the steps.   I'm not worried one way or another, just curiosity.   If it just looks like mold, we can leave it at that.  I'll light one of them up tomorrow and report back on how it tasted.  That is all that really matters.

[PigFish]

5 hours ago, Fugu said:

But why then do you store them on an open rack? My advice would be to keep them in their box.

And I yet wondered why Rob & crew are going the extra mile....

... yet another example of: the forum just started with my first post!

-Piggy