Looked for threads about the subject in order to post my thoughts - this one seemed as good as any.

Information I've read on mold usually holds that once it's discovered, a quarantine of the affected stock is in immediate order. I've also read that if it has gone undiscovered too long, mold can even ruin a cigar(s), hence the need to separate them from unaffected cigars.

I've received cigars, boxes and singles, that have had mold on them. First time i saw this I freaked and sent a box back. This was appropriate for the most part because, as it was a new box, I felt the cigars should be in pristine condition, and, they were about 30% affected. Later, I received a box that had 3-4 cigars that were very lightly moldy, 2-5 small spots on each, and rather than send them back, I brushed the mold off and separated them from the rest. I smoked one, and it was perfectly unaffected in taste from all I could tell.

What I found interesting was that measuring the rh in this box found it to be around 87%. Over a period of about two weeks, I brought it down to 70, where they have remained - both the quarantined cigars and the remaining clean ones. Neither bunch has ever since shown any sign of mold. Now mold does its thing via spores, and spores are invisible and everywhere. Spores were certainly in the box of "clean" cigars from which I had removed the moldy ones, just like they're in a sack of bread, your frig, etc.

This leads me to the conclusion that mold is not solely the result of the presence of spores; rh must be high as well. (I checked the rh in a 1/2 sack of bread where mold always grows given enough time, and it was 96%.)

Personally, I'm relieved for this degree of certainty because now the discovery of mold which can be seen, and the presence of spores which there ain't no gettin' around, is no longer a reason for the pounding of desks and gnashing of teeth. Once the rh is brought down, the mold is checked, period, and the sticks are sound.

Probably several of you reading this are thinking, "no shit, sherlock", BUT, I thought those with little experience with mold or newbs might be interested. It'll give me something to bitch at newbies for when they ask related questions before useing search.

ok. Merry Christmas.