Mold or Bloom?
I recently discovered some white substance on some of my cigars. Unfortunately, I can't find definitive pictures of mold versus bloom, so I can't really be sure. I figured I would share with my readers and see if anyone out there knew.
The Facts:
- Humidor is less than a month old.
- Was conditioned with distilled water.
- 4 cigars near the humidification device are showing similar covering.
- Another 50 cigars are not.
- Cigars were stored together cello wrappers, in a sampler box in which they were sold.
- Humidity has not gone over 70.
- Temperature has been between 72 and 78 in the room.
There are a couple of sites that have discussion about this issue:
The Case for Mold:
- Some of the cigars have blothchy patterns of substance.
- The substance is a bit fuzzy.
The Case for Bloom
- The substance is white.
- Mold takes "A long time to develop"
- Mold occurs when the humidity rises over 80%
So I'm torn here. I really can't tell. If anyone knows the difference and can tell from the picture, please let me know.
Update: Clicking on the picture will take you to a full sized image.
Comments
I had this cigar today. It was great, and in perfect condition. So, bloom seems to be what it is.
It looks clearly raised and fuzzy in the photo. I'm afraid that means mold. Plume tends to be flat, subtle and crystalline. You can actually see a slight sparkle with the correct light. Sorry
Posted by: cigarfan at August 24, 2006 2:37 AM