I think I see blooms!~

H

hermit11

Chris
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Messages
399
Location
Jenkintown, PA
I was checking on my inventory and I came across these!~
If I'm correct these are blooms not mold right?
First time seeing one in hand~ Now I gotta test one myself and see how they smoke!~ :sign:

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Does it wipe off easily? If so its bloom. Its really hard to say till you do that. Mold doesn't want to come off to easily. I've seen bloom on a cigar when a picture is taken you will see some shiny spots on the cigar. It does look like bloom but wipe it and see. You will know shortly. :thumbs:
 
Mr Peat said:
Does it wipe off easily? If so its bloom. Its really hard to say till you do that. Mold doesn't want to come off to easily. I've seen bloom on a cigar when a picture is taken you will see some shiny spots on the cigar. It does look like bloom but wipe it and see. You will know shortly. :thumbs:
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Yup!~ It wipes off easily. Cigar on the right has head and foot wiped off because I was touching it while examining!~
 
Look at the substance under a magnifying glass. If it's fuzzy, it's mold. If crystalline in structure it's bloom. But it looks like mold to me.


Doc.
 
Looks like bloom but it is abit hard to tell. It's nice when you see it in the sun. Sparkles like a diamond. Gotta love that bloom! :)
 
hermit11 said:
Ok.. This is getting tougher then trying to authenticate a cuban...
Should I try a black light on this thing too~ :sign:
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Just remember mold generally isn't white. Most of the cigars I've seen with mold on cigars usually have a sick looking greenish tinge to them. If you are really worried, my best advice is to smoke one and see how it tastes. Mold will impart a nasty taste to a cigar. I had some mold on an Anejo and it really made the cigar taste funny and not in a good way. :(

Plus when you removed mold, you will see a spot where it was at. And yes, I did study mold and bacteria as a Biochemistry major as I did a research project on my own as a Sophmore in College for 3 months. I don't think you have a thing to worry about but the cigars are not in my hand to look at.
 
Looks like bloom to me, all of the mold I have come across is either localized in spots and not all over the cigars or is all over the cigars with one or two severe spots the really stand out. You have a light even coating all over the cigar :thumbs:

They look good, but just to be save I recomend you burn them. :D
 
Bloom/plume is a a crystalline form of the essential tobacco oils correct? Then it should refract light, so (and I know how preposterous the following sentences are going to sound, but I believe there is some form of logic) look at it in the dark, with an obscure light source. Example, turn off all the lights in your immediate room, and turn on a light in an adjacent room. Let the crystals catch some of the light, and it should sparkle similar to a diamond. (I think I learned this from Wilkey when he was answering questions on mold at the NYC herf Chris organized).

Also, mold (to my knowledge) smells funky.
 
neah~ too late! I wiped it down~ didn't want to take chances

yeah-yeah I can be a wuss when it comes to cigars being damaged~ :laugh:
Thats probably why I go through my inventory regularly especially ones in the tubes!~
 
Dave said:
Bloom/plume is a a crystalline form of the essential tobacco oils correct? Then it should refract light, so (and I know how preposterous the following sentences are going to sound, but I believe there is some form of logic) look at it in the dark, with an obscure light source. Example, turn off all the lights in your immediate room, and turn on a light in an adjacent room. Let the crystals catch some of the light, and it should sparkle similar to a diamond. (I think I learned this from Wilkey when he was answering questions on mold at the NYC herf Chris organized).

Also, mold (to my knowledge) smells funky.
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DSCN0195.jpg


On the Original Released Anejo's in the center of this picture, you will see some bright white spots that come through. That is where the oils in the cigar has crystallized on the surface of the cigar. I hope that helps you out Dave. Unfortunately those sticks are 83 miles away so I can't take a better picture of it but if I remember next Saturday, I will try to get one better of them sticks. In fact, I may have some in the lockers that have developed some bloom on them as I have some nicely aged sticks there safe from me.

Also I just thought of this. If it was mold, then the inside of the tubes would have traces and tell tell signs of it within the tubes. Alas, the more I think about it the more certain I am sure its not mold. Otherwise, 99.9% sure its bloom.
 
Mr Peat said:
Mold will impart a nasty taste to a cigar. I had some mold on an Anejo and it really made the cigar taste funny and not in a good way. :(
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Mr Peat, how much mold was there on the cigar and did you see any creeping up the foot?

I have a whole box of moldy Anejos. Took a few out yesterday to inspect them and they just don't seem to smell the same as my mold-free ones. And I don't think brushing it off will help that much. :(
 
Tapewormboy said:
Mr Peat said:
Mold will impart a nasty taste to a cigar. I had some mold on an Anejo and it really made the cigar taste funny and not in a good way. :(
Click to expand...

Mr Peat, how much mold was there on the cigar and did you see any creeping up the foot?

I have a whole box of moldy Anejos. Took a few out yesterday to inspect them and they just don't seem to smell the same as my mold-free ones. And I don't think brushing it off will help that much. :(
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Tossing in my experience smoking moldy sharks. They tasted fine to me. Had some mold free ones, then found some with mold growing on the foot, wiped it off, torched it, and yum yum. I guess the mold hasn't compromised the cigar enough to ruin its taste.
 
Tapewormboy said:
Mr Peat said:
Mold will impart a nasty taste to a cigar. I had some mold on an Anejo and it really made the cigar taste funny and not in a good way. :(
Click to expand...

Mr Peat, how much mold was there on the cigar and did you see any creeping up the foot?

I have a whole box of moldy Anejos. Took a few out yesterday to inspect them and they just don't seem to smell the same as my mold-free ones. And I don't think brushing it off will help that much. :(
Click to expand...

That is what set me off when I saw some mold in the foot. I then proceeded to take off the cello and spanish cedar to my utter horror saw that mold had set foot all over the smoke. The ones I've had problems with mainly have been #48 and #49's. And since the last shipment, Hemingway Maduro's have been victims as well. Thus these sticks I do not let age whatsoever. I've never had a problem with any Hemingway maddie before until Dec 2006. :( Yes, I have to agree from my personal experience in smoking moldy Anejo's and Hemingway maddies. They do not taste the same whatsoever once the mold has set foot. I brush it off the best I can and just make the best of it. They generally taste ok but not rock my world as a mold free one does.

As for you Moki, I know and understand mold can come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. I do love the fact you have some great information on your website for all to see and read. I just wished I had the $100,000 microscope I used in my Biology/Biochemistry Research project. I'd really have some fun with some strange things that occur to our cigars in just the right temperature and humidity. Sometimes i think about finishing my Biochemistry degree off since I just have 2 years left on it and use cigar mold and bloom/plume as a basis for a research paper.

In my old B&M shop last year one of the guy's that works there showed me one of the Padron Anniversary 5 pack box. It was sad to see that mold had developed on the sticks and on the inside of the box lining. The guy thought it was bloom/plume. Probably some of it was but the real bad sign was that it attached itself to the spanish cedar which bloom/plume wouldn't do. Plus it looked like a miniature rain forest setting in there. Unfortunately, I've seen it on other sticks in this shop. Anyways, I've rambled on enough.
 
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