Mold marks on a cheap stick. Garbage?

[ggiese]

This is what happens when you smoke a cheaper brand. There was some type of spotting on the leaf at the time it was harvested - but not so bad as to affect the leaf structure. It was dried and cured as normal, but still have all of the other charateristics that made it a good wrapper leaf. If this wrapper leaf was destined to be used on a more expensive cigar, the manufacturer would have put that leaf aside and sold it off to someone making a less expensive cigar.

The cigar is perfectly smokeable - look at it as the spots just add interest.

[ashauler]

This is what happens when you smoke a cheaper brand. There was some type of spotting on the leaf at the time it was harvested - but not so bad as to affect the leaf structure. It was dried and cured as normal, but still have all of the other charateristics that made it a good wrapper leaf. If this wrapper leaf was destined to be used on a more expensive cigar, the manufacturer would have put that leaf aside and sold it off to someone making a less expensive cigar.

The cigar is perfectly smokeable - look at it as the spots just add interest.

Indeed! These marks were present when harvested and due to curing/fermentation were "set" into the leaf. Not at all uncommon in tobacco.....it's just sorted out in the more expensive brands as GG mentions. If you like it, I think I might know where there is more leaf like this.