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Is it a personal preference?

A

antaean

Did this happen to you?
Joined
Mar 7, 2006
Messages
269
Lately, it seems to be my good luck to be getting cigars with plume/bloom on the wrappers. My question is: Should the plume be wiped from the cigars before they are smoked? Perhaps this is just a matter of personal preference similar to smoking with the bands on or off. I have not noticed any difference in taste between identical(LOL) sticks wiped and un-wiped.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Maybe my taste buds are too untrained to taste a difference.

antaean
 
I haven't smoked cigars with plume but I think that if you try to wipe off plume you run the risk of ruining your your wrapper not to mention that the ones you can wipe off easy tend to be mold more than plume:)
 
Assuming it's plume and not mold, it makes no difference. Mold, btw, should not wipe off super easily, it should leave stains/marks on the wrapper after you wipe it off. Most people I know wipe off the plume though, but I gather it's mostly for appearance.

BTW, if you're ever in Ann Arbor near U of M campus, drop by Maison Edwards Tobbaconist in Nickels Arcade (near the giant Espresso Royale on the corner of N. University and S. State)
 
ThankYouForNotSmoking said:
Assuming it's plume and not mold, it makes no difference. Mold, btw, should not wipe off super easily, it should leave stains/marks on the wrapper after you wipe it off. Most people I know wipe off the plume though, but I gather it's mostly for appearance.

BTW, if you're ever in Ann Arbor near U of M campus, drop by Maison Edwards Tobbaconist in Nickels Arcade (near the giant Espresso Royale on the corner of N. University and S. State)
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As for mold wiping off...depends on the type of mold. The small while spores easily wipe off without damage to the cigar. The blue-green stuff, no way. Toss the stogie. :(

As for bloom/plume, it is just crystallized oils from the wrapper (I know there is at least one differing theory as to what it actually is, but his is the most common theory based on my research). Wipe it off or don't...makes no difference. You are smoking the oils in the wrapper anyway, why not the oil that has crystalized.
 
ThankYouForNotSmoking said:
Assuming it's plume and not mold, it makes no difference. Mold, btw, should not wipe off super easily, it should leave stains/marks on the wrapper after you wipe it off. Most people I know wipe off the plume though, but I gather it's mostly for appearance.
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I agree with Cigardawg in that it depends on the type of mold. A lot of mold that you find on cigars won't leave any stains or marks on the wrapper and wipes off very easily.

I would wager that in the majority of cases in which guys think they have plume on their cigars, it's a case of mold instead. I'll admit, I made that mistake a while back. :whistling:
 
Is that plume on your cigar or are you just happy to see me?
 
I leave plume/bloom...............I do wipe a tad to see if its mold or not but I can pretty much tell nowadays without the need for a magnifying glass.

Ugh,I hate moldy cigars,if its lightly molded or was wiped off and I light it,unknowingly,it has the worst taste I ever had.Two sungrown fuentes with the cedar had mold problems and it was horrible,chucked it on first puff.
 
Regarding plume,

cigardawg said:

..."Wipe it off or don't...makes no difference. You are smoking the oils in the wrapper anyway, why not the oil that has crystalized."

That's what I'm thinking.

When I said "wiping" in my original post, I should have said "dusting"? I use a little hand brush to get most off. I think I read somewhere they do that in UK. But for me, leaving it on creates a sort of imagination of smoking the dried tobacco essense, but I cannot seem to taste any difference.

I have tasted plume with my tongue too and it seems to have a kind of hydrocarbon taste, neither good or bad. That is a pretty broad description but about all my untrained palate can differentiate.

Also, pretty certain at this point that I can identify plume vs mold. I use the "sparkles" method with a flashlight and if I can't decide from that then I whip out the pocket microscope and take a good look. I have never had mold at the Habanos suggested temp and rh, but have seen some other BOTLs with problems. Enough for me to be slightly paranoid about it anyway.

antaean
 
I had an unusual experience recently. I had about 100 RyJ MFs placed in an old cabinet box and put in the bottom of the coolerdor about 3 years ago. When I opened the box, there was scatters white spots on the top layer. I assumed mold and started tossing cigars in the kitchen garbage. After 5 or 6 tossed, I notices dust coming off on my fingers. I decided to smoke one. It was well aged and no adverse effects from the white spots that came off with the slightest rub. Closer exam with a glass and it certainly appeared to be bloom not mold. I had not expected this on an MM/HF and did not think it would develop in 3 years. I have rarely encountered this on my handmades which I ususally smoke within 5 years. I have been using these RyJs for my morning drive smokes and they still have scattered white spots.
 
I never wipe it. I may touch it but I generally like to watch it burn.
 
I find that generally, by the time I light my cigar the Plume/bloom has been rubbed off.

:cool: :)
 
Damn and I know a cigar store that has plume on many many many cigars. Its a beautiful sight to behold. Too bad he is so far away cuz I could take a picture for ya but that isnt happening. :(
 
I had my first cigar with mold on it the other day. It was a Fuerte Robusto natural. At first, my face contorted similar to when I discover mold on my favorite dish in the fridge after it's been sitting around for months. Fortunatly, I did not plan on eating this cigar, and I simply gently wiped the mold off and lit er up. Not sure if I was supposed to do that (wipe it), but it burned nicely and I didn't get ill, so it turned out ok.
 
I actually smoke the cigar with plume. It doesn't affect the taste what-so-ever.
 
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