Newb Question Concerning "Plume" and Mold

**Mayam** · 01-21-2013, 07:59 AM

*For the sake of brevity I'll kick it off with a summary . In a nutshell, what exactly is "Plume"? What causes it? Should it be scraped off or otherwise removed from one's cigar prior to smoking it? Does it affect the other cigars in a humidor with a cigar "hosting" it in any way. MOST IMPORTANTLY, how does one tell if they are looking at "Plume" or mold? Thank You in advance - Mayam

I was out of town recently and visited a friend's place whom I hadn't seen in 7 - 8 years and pleasantly discovered he had begun smoking cigars as well. His Dad was quite the afficianado as I recall but we had no interest in such back when. We experienced our first cigars about 15 years ago together though on occasions to celebrate this or that but we wouldn't have known a good cigar if it had come along, jumped up between our teeth and proceeded to light it's self back when. It just kind of seemed strange coincidence we had begun an honest pursuit of quality cigars at roughly the same age now though. Honestly he has a couple years jump on me and has accumulated what he described as a quite respectable collection. He certainly had a couple nice humidors to look the part at least!

)

Anyway, that brings me around to my point. He had a few that I instantly honed in on with some SUPER DARK wrappers that looked particularly good and uh... sheeny (that a word?), well oily, humidified, whatever is the appropo term. I took them to be Maduro wrappers but I'm still pretty much operating in the hobby with book smarts rather than experience so maybe they were some other type of dark, "sheeny" wrapper. Upon further examination I noticed whitish 'blotches' on them though and, so as not to come off as insulting I tried to innocently point this out to him thinking in the back of my mind his stock had gone bad.

It was then that he informed me of this condition known as "Plume" and that it was actually a sign of quality. Feigning belief and awe but still feeling in the back of my mind that his cigars were "turning" (for lack of a better term), I weaseled out claiming that I was not yet really a fan of "strong" or full bodied cigars that he claimed them to be and he offered me something else in a Conn. wrapper - blotch ("Plume") free. I believe the brand was Macanudo we ended up smoking first ultimately, and they were honestly better than anything I've so far purchased and sampled (I may be mistaken on the brand though). This "Plume" condition lingered in my mind though and I've since been looking it up as time allows. Not surprisingly either, I indeed was an idiot if it truly was plume I was seeing. Keen enough to observe Mr. Switzer's little kernel of wisdom though advising one to: 'remain silent and appear a fool rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt'

Anywho, I've looked up the term and read a few blurbs on the net about it (inclucing one that spoke about it a bit further down the list of posts in this forum as well) but I was kind of hoping someone here could maybe give me a real quick consolidation of facts about it. Particularly though:

What exactly is it and what causes it - all I'm sure of is its caused / found on darker, oilier wraps

Does it affect the flavor of it's "host" cigar and / or those in the humidor with it

Should the plume be removed from the wrapper prior to smoking; and how EXACTLY does one tell it's difference form mold?

I'm sure I'll end up with many more questions but I'm in the process of further filtering through what info I can gleen from the few trustworthy sites I've so far found. I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask the "Brain Trust" here at Cigar Smokers.com as well though as the info will likely be more trust worthy with all the experienced cigar smokers here coming together and collectively agreeing on what is fact and what is just "anecdotal guesswork" that's been repeated so many times it's become accepted as fact.

Much appreciated for any of you who can offer me any knowledge on this subject and I thank You in advance.

Sincerest Thanks,

- Mayam

**ggiese** · 01-21-2013, 09:26 AM

This dissertation may seem a bit long but Plume's spleenful programs of Gleichschaltung cannot be adequately described in less than a long essay. I would like to start by discussing Plume's flights of fancy, mainly because they scare me. The thing I'm the most frightened about is that Plume's presence will cause more harm than good. But I digress. Someone just showed me a memo supposedly written about Plume. The memo spells out plans to understate the negative impact of simplism. If this memo is authentic, it tells us that Plume fully intends to hijack the word "uncharacteristically" and use it to prepare the ground for an ever-more vicious and brutal campaign of terror. If those words don't scare you, nothing will. If they are not a clear warning, I don't know what could be.

Who could have guessed that Plume would defile the air and water in the name of profit? To put it another way, why does it hate our country? Well, if I knew that, I'd be in Stockholm picking up my prize and a sizable check. I guess what I really mean to say is that Plume's proposals are hermetically sealed against fresh air from the real world. Well, that's another story. To get back to my main point, I ought to mention that so far, the response from Plume's camp has been tardy and equivocal. Well, that's getting away from my main topic, which is that its fusillades should be labeled like a pack of cigarettes. I'm thinking of something along the lines of, "Warning: It has been determined that Plume's deeds are intended to corral Plume's nemeses into mini-Bantustans to prevent them from embracing diversity."

Groupthink and mob behavior are common within Plume's club. Hence, it isn't unusual for one who commits heresy against Plume's established dogma to be exiled from the community. The sad part is that these outcasts still refuse to believe that I surely allege that it needs to be taken into account that "iscariotic" hardly seems like a strong enough word to describe Plume. Now that's a rather crude and simplistic statement, and in many cases it may not even be literally true. But there is a sense in which it is generally true, a sense in which it honestly expresses how Plume is locked into its present course of destruction. It does not have the interest or the will to change its fundamentally misguided expedients. That's all for this letter. For those that don't like my views, get over it. I warrant that I have as much a right to my views, and to express them, as anyone else. So when I say that the majority of damnable dimbulbs probably agree that Plume's pleas have grown into the world's greatest enslavers of human minds, you can agree with me or not. That's all there is to it.

I hope that helps you to understand....

**Devil Doc** · 01-21-2013, 10:02 AM

Still on pain meds, George?

Doc

**ashauler** · 01-21-2013, 10:54 AM

tl;dr x 2

**ggiese** · 01-21-2013, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Devil Doc

Still on pain meds, George?

Doc

Yes!!!! Thank goodness...

**Ashes2Ashes** · 01-21-2013, 03:32 PM

For the sake of brevity. ....

"Submitted via cigaraficionado.com

First some definitions.

Plume is a light, whitish layer of fuzz that can develop on cigars as they age in a humidor. Plume doesn't hurt cigars and is actually a sign that they're aging properly.

Sometimes people mistake plume for mold, which can ruin cigars and is a sign that the air in the humidor is too warm and/or humid. Mold has a bluish tint and tends to develop in spots rather than evenly across the surface of a cigar, as plume does.

Physical appearance aside, the easiest way to determine what's growing on your cigars is to apply the "rub test." Using your finger, try to rub the material off. If it flakes off it's plume, if it doesn't it's mold.

And if it's plume, rub the rest off your cigar, light up and enjoy."

**ggiese** · 01-21-2013, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Ashes2Ashes

"Submitted via cigaraficionado.com

First some definitions.

Plume is a light, whitish layer of fuzz that can develop on cigars as they age in a humidor. Plume doesn't hurt cigars and is actually a sign that they're aging properly.

Sometimes people mistake plume for mold, which can ruin cigars and is a sign that the air in the humidor is too warm and/or humid. Mold has a bluish tint and tends to develop in spots rather than evenly across the surface of a cigar, as plume does.

Physical appearance aside, the easiest way to determine what's growing on your cigars is to apply the "rub test." Using your finger, try to rub the material off. If it flakes off it's plume, if it doesn't it's mold.

And if it's plume, rub the rest off your cigar, light up and enjoy."

...I would not describe plume as "...a layer of fuzz". A layer of fuzz better describes mold.

From Cigarafficinado.com:

Plume:
Plume, which is also called bloom, is a naturally occurring phenomenon in the cigar aging process. Oils that exude from the tobacco in a finished cigar will appear as a fine white powder and can be brushed off without leaving a mark. Plume is not to be confused with mold, which has color to it and stains the wrapper.

...that's the plume I know.

And dark wrappers are far more suceptible to mold than lighter wrappers.

I know people desparately want to answer questions, but it is best for this community that any answer posted is accurate. I hate straight cut and paste jobs....

**kingbeefy** · 01-21-2013, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by ggiese

...I would not describe plume as "...a layer of fuzz". A layer of fuzz better describes mold.

It's more powdery or dusty isn't it?

**ggiese** · 01-21-2013, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by kingbeefy

It's more powdery or dusty isn't it?

Sorry - I edited my original post to add that. Yes - it's appears as a fine white powder that often glistens under strong light.

**Ashes2Ashes** · 01-21-2013, 05:04 PM

Well at least he's finally getting some answers to his questions.

**kevin7** · 01-21-2013, 05:59 PM

Its like microscopic meth crystals on your cigar

**ggiese** · 01-21-2013, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Ashes2Ashes

Well at least he's finally getting some answers to his questions.

...even if they're not accurate!

**Ashes2Ashes** · 01-21-2013, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by ggiese

...even if they're not accurate!

Ya his questions were probably all answered in your first reply.

**ggiese** · 01-21-2013, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by Ashes2Ashes

Ya his questions were probably all answered in your first reply.

I concede. Your answer was far more accurate than my first post - even though it was wrong...

**CoventryCat86** · 01-22-2013, 02:36 AM

If it's mold, just brush it off and smoke 'em, you won't die or anything.

**Mayam** · 01-25-2013, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by ggiese

This dissertation may seem a bit long but Plume's spleenful programs of Gleichschaltung cannot be adequately described in less than a long essay. I would like to start by discussing Plume's flights of fancy, mainly because they scare me. The thing I'm the most frightened about is that Plume's presence will cause more harm than good. But I digress. Someone just showed me a memo supposedly written about Plume. The memo spells out plans to understate the negative impact of simplism. If this memo is authentic, it tells us that Plume fully intends to hijack the word "uncharacteristically" and use it to prepare the ground for an ever-more vicious and brutal campaign of terror. If those words don't scare you, nothing will. If they are not a clear warning, I don't know what could be.

Who could have guessed that Plume would defile the air and water in the name of profit? To put it another way, why does it hate our country? Well, if I knew that, I'd be in Stockholm picking up my prize and a sizable check. I guess what I really mean to say is that Plume's proposals are hermetically sealed against fresh air from the real world. Well, that's another story. To get back to my main point, I ought to mention that so far, the response from Plume's camp has been tardy and equivocal. Well, that's getting away from my main topic, which is that its fusillades should be labeled like a pack of cigarettes. I'm thinking of something along the lines of, "Warning: It has been determined that Plume's deeds are intended to corral Plume's nemeses into mini-Bantustans to prevent them from embracing diversity."

Groupthink and mob behavior are common within Plume's club. Hence, it isn't unusual for one who commits heresy against Plume's established dogma to be exiled from the community. The sad part is that these outcasts still refuse to believe that I surely allege that it needs to be taken into account that "iscariotic" hardly seems like a strong enough word to describe Plume. Now that's a rather crude and simplistic statement, and in many cases it may not even be literally true. But there is a sense in which it is generally true, a sense in which it honestly expresses how Plume is locked into its present course of destruction. It does not have the interest or the will to change its fundamentally misguided expedients. That's all for this letter. For those that don't like my views, get over it. I warrant that I have as much a right to my views, and to express them, as anyone else. So when I say that the majority of damnable dimbulbs probably agree that Plume's pleas have grown into the world's greatest enslavers of human minds, you can agree with me or not. That's all there is to it.

I hope that helps you to understand....

Thank you for being so candid Sir. I would be lying if I didn't admit that I just felt raw fear wash over me like gallons of ice cold Gatorade after the big game. Three words kept spinning in my head the further I got into understanding this threat as I read your post: Shock And Awe!!!.

Pack light but with purpose folks. I think it's all but garaunteed that FEMA will be making a history making announcement any day now. If any of you are spiritual and given to prayer, THIS is the time!!! I dare say the Four Horseman are saddling up as we speak...

On the more whimsical side of the Apocalypse though, thank you all for your answers. I did a little more reading here and there on the web but as a general rule I feel the best info is what comes from wise individuals with first hand experience. Despite having a fair knowledge of "Plume" now though I have to admit I still find its appearance a tad off putting, heh. Apparently it is a sign of an adequatley kept and aged cigar though. Indeed it was on a rather dark (Maduro I believe?) wrapper too and as I read I found that the easiest way to tell, by touch that is as you all have confirmed as well, is if it rubs off you're good to go but if it leaves a residue it's probably mold.

It kind of makes me feel like my first time trying sushi. Once I finally sac'ed up and got past the appearance and my preconceptions it'd turn out to be delicious!

Anyhow, thanks again to you all and I'm really glad I found this forum and subscribed as opposed to some other cigar forums I checked out. Members with knowledge, experience AND a sense of humor?!? It's like stars aligining or some sh!t! From various posts I've perused on some other forums it tended to appear to be a bunch of self important d-bags arguing about the most subjective, cigar related topics they could troll up. Not all the time but enough that I could tell I didn't want to take part in most of it. Particularly being the newbiest of newbs that I currently am.

- Mayam

P.S One last plume related question: Does it have any noticeable effect on flavor, either good or bad, and if so could it also effect the flavor of the plumated cigar's humidor neighbors?

**CoventryCat86** · 01-26-2013, 02:16 AM

The appearance of sushi never bothered me, I just think it tastes like $hit. That's why I don't like it.

No, "plume" has no effect on the taste of the cigar. Mold doesn't have much either so long as you brush it off first.

**ggiese** · 01-26-2013, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by CoventryCat86

The appearance of sushi never bothered me, I just think it tastes like $hit. That's why I don't like it.

No, "plume" has no effect on the taste of the cigar. Mold doesn't have much either so long as you brush it off first.

Bill - gas station sushi does not count...