Plume or Mold? The Age Old Question.

You open your humidor.  You see some splotchy white spots on your cigar.  You fear that something is wrong with your cigar.  You do an internet search and find a saving grace! It is a thing called “Plume”! HOORAY!  Your cigars aren’t ruined, and in fact they have become an elite, plume covered delicacy!

Well here is where I become the bearer of bad news.  To steal a saying from my friends over at /r/cigars, “That’s Mold Bro!”.  Plume has become one of the most misunderstood (and overly used terms) in the cigar industry.   Unfortunately, it’s due to many people trying to cover up the fact that their cigars have become moldy.  Plume is rare and very subtle.  A cigar with plume is a cigar that has been kept in proper conditions for a long time.  Honestly, they don’t look very nice.  They have a very old look to them. Essentially, instead of an oily sheen to the cigar, it gains a flat look with what appears to be a non-tangible dusting to them.  So, if you put that cigar in your humidor 6 months ago, or you are at a cigar shop and looking at their regular stock and you see a cigar with a fuzzy substance on it, that is mold, NOT Plume.

Mold is preventable.  Maintaining proper conditions within your humidor is a good start.  Mold is caused by too much humidity, therefore the easiest way to prevent mold is constantly making sure your humidity levels do not exceed 70%rh humidity.  Personally, I prefer the 63%rh to 66%rh range for my cigars, and do everything I can to maintain the levels in that range.  Mold can begin to form on a cigar, once the total saturation of the cigar gets at 74%rh or higher.  It can happen quickly as well.  We are dealing with nothing more than leaves and moisture, so just as it happens in nature, it can happen in your humidor.

Cigars that are wrapped in cedar and packaged in metal tubos are often time more susceptible to surface mold because more of the humidity is trapped within the container.  Think of it as a terrarium situation.  The moisture is trapped within an area and can be highly effected by humidity and temperature changes.  Also, cigars without cellophane are susceptible because they are in direct contact with the moisture and can develop mold quicker.  A cigar can develop surface mold, or a cigar can become completely infested.  Surface mold is easily wiped off, and by all accounts, do not have any harmful effects to you or the cigar.  Surface mold will appear on the outside of the cigar in random white splotchy patches.  Making sure the surface mold is completely gone is key though.  Once, wiping off the surface mold, remove the affected cigars from the rest of your unharmed stash, and keep them in proper conditions outside of your regular humidor until you know they are mold free.

While inspecting your moldy cigar, always check the foot of the cigar (also known as the end that you light).  If mold develops in this area, you have a big issue.  Mold on the foot indicates that there is mold on the inside of the cigars.  Unfortunately, these cigars should be disposed of immediately as they are not safe to smoke, and can infect the rest of your cigar collection.  Any cigars with signs of greenish-colored mold should be discarded immediately as well.

The bottom line, take care of your cigars and if something goes wrong, take care of it.  If you have to ask the question “Is It Mold Or Plume?”, chances are it’s mold.  Don’t believe the lies and harm yourself and your cigars in doing so.  Mold can happen.  Take care of it and do everything you can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

The Complex Connecticut Wrapper

When many cigar smokers talk about Connecticut Wrappers, you will always hear similar words associated with the leaf…mild, creamy, perfect for new cigar smokers, etc.  As I puff away on this Quesada Reserva Privada, I think about the stereotypes that this certain tobacco has gained.  While those descriptions are many times accurate, they do not apply across the board.  I often ask, why has the Connecticut tobacco leaf become such an ignored choice for many cigar connoisseurs?

To me the Connecticut leaf can be one of the most complex and unique flavors that can be found in the tobacco world.  Like any other cigar, there can be good ones and bad ones, or rather ones that you prefer and ones that you do not.  The name Connecticut refers to the seed and does not necessarily mean it is from the U.S. of A.  While many Connecticut Shade tobacco is grown in the Connecticut valley here in America, many other countries grow the leaf as well.  The most common Connecticut leaf that is used in many premium cigars out now comes from tobacco fields in Ecuador.   The reason for this, is Ecuador’s natural cloud cover and natural fogginess that allows for natural shade-like conditions without the need to cover the tobacco.

Wrap Conneticut
Connecticut Wrapper

So what is so special about the Connecticut leaf?  After all its just mild and for newbie smokers right?  Not so fast.  While the leaf naturally has some smooth and creamy characteristics, the entire blend of a cigar makes it stronger or spicier or richer, etc.  Let’s not forget than many of the richest flavored cigars in the world are Connecticut leaves that are aged into maduros.  Connecticut wrappers can provide a very complex finish to many different types of blends.

For instance, the Avo XO line has a much higher nicotine content than the Avo Classic Series even though both cigars are draped with different Connecticut wrappers.  When smoking these two cigars side by side, you would notice the blend of the AVO XO is much creamier and smoother flavored cigar that actually has more of a kick to it, compared to the grassy and earthy notes of the Avo Classic.

The likes of the above mentioned Quesada Reserva Privada, along with other ultra premium Connecticut offerings such as the Dunhill Aged line, the new Padron Damaso, or many classic offerings from Davidoff have wonderful flavor profiles that only more advanced cigar smokers may appreciate.  Each of these have a nice subtle spice on the back-end accompanied by a smooth sweetness.  Each blend has a bunch of other nuances that make them very unique from each other.  The complexities would be lost on a new smokers palate.

Then there’s the Nat Sherman Epoca or the RoMa Craft Intemperance EC.  These cigars feature more of a spicy on the front-end of the draw while the creaminess shows up on the retrohale.  These type of Connecticut offerings are definitely more on the medium to medium full range and many advanced smokers often over look them solely because of their light wrapper color.

So I challenge you, cigar aficionado’s, smoke some Connecticuts.  Really focus in on them and try to identify the complexities each one has to offer.  Some of the truly masterful blends out their are found wrapped underneath a delicious and delicate Connecticut leaf.  Expand your palate and embrace these gems.