Advice needed possible mold in Ghurkha Ancient Warrior box

[Monk]

Hi All,

As some of you know when down in Florida last week I picked up a box of the Ghurka Ancient Warrior Churchills. Upon my return to Canada I opened the box and went to distribute the cigars. Each one was wrapped in cello. I like to take the cello off of my sticks.

Now, these sticks were not wet when thy got back to Canada and I had kept them at 65% humidity in a tupperdor. When I opened them up the bottom half of the sticks all had varying amounts of dry powdery white spots or a thin layer of white. The wrappers are oily, but firm and dry to the touch and I can see some glitter from some of the oils, but these spots don't glitter and when touched crumble and fall off, or whipe off.

Thoughts? Anyone ran into this with a box of these?

-W.

[cigar no baka]

White spots are usually plume; that's a good sign that the cigars are aging well, as they sugars are rising to the surface of the cigar.

But ussually it is only small white spots; if the sticks are covered in white powedery stuff, I don't know, you either have something else or possibly an incredible amount of plume.

[john51277]

Can we get a pic of this????

[JStrider]

Its my understanding that mold can be other colors and is usually patchy and 3 dimensional

while bloom is always just like white dust sprinkled onto the cigar

I know i've seen pictures comparing the 2 but cant seem to find them now.

[BunkyX]

Well Monk I have had a few do the same thing. I never worried about it. The only mold on a cigar have ever seen looked like the stuff came from another planet, kinda like the stuff in your fridge looked when you got back. My rule is - If it brushes off its okay. Maybe the airplane ride, high altitude and cold, caused some funky kind of bloom. Maybe some of these other guys have had this experience when traveling with boxed sticks before? I usually find Gurkhas are a little on the wet side when I buy them so I put them in my Humi for a week or so (in the cello) to dry down to the 65% that I like my sticks.
Gene

[guado]

As long as it is not on the foot you should* be ok.

[Monk]

Sadly my digital Camera was stolen in the airport in Mexico on a business trip but maybe I can get a webcam shot tonight.

There is some on the foot but the wierd thing is that the sticks were definately not wet and looks like someone dropped them in confectionary sugar (the fine stuff) which seemed odd for mold growth as I have seen it... still. pics might help as well. (no colours in it)

-W.

[drew_goring]

Bloom is generally a granular/crystalline structure.

[pub spears]

If it looks like powdered sugar, I would lay a bet on bloom/plume. A very good sign.

[Shelby07]

Without pictures it's hard to tell, and even with pics it might be difficult. I would suggest you take the box down to your local B&M and get their opinion. Their livelihood depends on knowing the difference.

[Monk]

thanks for the thoughts guys. I took another look at them last night and I am now under the belief that it is plume (hooray). I'm keeping them seperate in a tupperdor for awhile just to monitor them but based on all that I have come to know and learn about plume from everyone here (and more to the point, what I know about mold from many kitchen and forgotten coffee mug experiences ) I think I'll be safe.

Now I can't wait for them to balance out and age a bit in the humidor so I can smoke one!!

-W.