Dealing With Mold

[Hammerhead]

Hey, guys.

Just picked up a few 'gars from a local dealer. The merchant had many cases where the sticks were covered to varying degrees by mold, but because a couple were rather rare to come by, I bought these knowing that it might be a problem.

I've done a search, but there doesn't seem to be any clear, authoritative comment on how to deal with the situation. I guess it depends a lot on how bad the 'infestation' is, but I'd appreciate your comments.

This is an AF 858 Claro. They also had two "original size" AF Between The Lines which also had an even milder case, that I just couldn't resist. It's the first I've seen any "in person", so I grabbed 'em.

Please comment on how best to approach this. I was thinking I'd just wipe them off with a dry paper towel, wrap a dry paper towel around a pencil and swab out the cello and replace the cigars.

Thanks in advance!

[Xmodius]

If it wipes off and the cigars don't smell like mold they should be ok. I have smoked a few that cleaned easily and didn't have a moldy smell, and they smoked fine.

[Neuromancer]

If it's mold it's usually green from what I understand, and I hear they're pretty unsmokable...however, fine white dots all over the cigar is known as plume, and is from the oils of the leaf and aging, and actually is a good thing, as it's an indicator the stick is well aged...plume just wipes off...mold goes into the cigar...

[SeanGAR]

Originally Posted by Xmodius

If it wipes off and the cigars don't smell like mold they should be ok. I have smoked a few that cleaned easily and didn't have a moldy smell, and they smoked fine.

Yea. The color of the mold just depends on what species is growing and what stage of sporulation they are at. Do what XM suggests and you'll be fine.

[Hammerhead]

OK to put 'em in the humidor after I wipe them down, or will I be risking spread to other smokes?

[opus]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

OK to put 'em in the humidor after I wipe them down, or will I be risking spread to other smokes?

I'm no expert, but I would probably put them in a ziplock in the humidor, or make a tupperdore just for them, or best of all smoke those bad boys pronto.

[Pitbull]

Those cigars are very toxic and need to be sent to the Pitbull disposal company and for a limited time only Pitbull disposal will destroy them for absolutley free yes ladies and gentlemen you heard me right for FREE!!!!

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Pitbull

Those cigars are very toxic and need to be sent to the Pitbull disposal company and for a limited time only Pitbull disposal will destroy them for absolutley free yes ladies and gentlemen you heard me right for FREE!!!!

If Pitbull is backed up, please send them my way.
I will make sure they are consumed, I meant destroyed, in an environmentally safe manner.
PLEASE do not attempt to do this yourself at home.

[steve12553]

There is a lot of good information about mold recover: how to and whether to here: www.cigargroup.com/faq/ and a bunch of other stuff.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by Pitbull

Those cigars are very toxic and need to be sent to the Pitbull disposal company

Originally Posted by Blueface

If Pitbull is backed up, please send them my way.
I will make sure they are consumed, I meant destroyed, in an environmentally safe manner. PLEASE do not attempt to do this yourself at home.

Yeah, yeah... I know. And I need to submit them to you with the proper documentation so that you can apply for Federal Superfunds to deal with the toxic waste.

All kidding aside, I just want to make sure I don't F up any of my other smokes. I keep my humidor at 65RH with Viper's beads. I've already gone ahead and wiped down both the cigars, and the inside of the cello (yeah, I know I'm being anal) and re-wrapped them.

Originally Posted by steve12553

There is a lot of good information about mold recover: how to and whether to here: www.cigargroup.com/faq/ and a bunch of other stuff.

Steve, thanks. I know of that site, but a lot of it is highly contradictory to the wisdom here. Also, their recovery implies that the mold is in MY humidor, not on the cigars that I rescued from the store.

I guess my question is really whether or not I will risk the rest of the smokes in my humidor, or if the lower (65RH) in my environment will be alright, and protect me. Should I return them, or do you guys figure I'll be alrigth?

[FunkyPorcini]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

I guess my question is really whether or not I will risk the rest of the smokes in my humidor, or if the lower (65RH) in my environment will be alright, and protect me. Should I return them, or do you guys figure I'll be alrigth?

What RH and temp do you keep your humidor at? It think that in order to answer this question correctly we need to know.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by FunkyPorcini

What RH and temp do you keep your humidor at? It think that in order to answer this question correctly we need to know.

As I said, 65%rH with Viper's beads, 68-70d, +/- a degree or two, depending on if I have a window open or not.

[FunkyPorcini]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

As I said, 65%rH with Viper's beads, 68-70d, +/- a degree or two, depending on if I have a window open or not.

oh duh, I didn't see that. At 65% and 70* or under you should be fine. If they were mine I would wipe them off, set them on top of the humidor for a day (if it's not too dry in your house) then throw them in the humidor separated from the other cigars and watch them for a couple weeks or so. This is probably overkill but I am a bit anal about things.

If you planned on smoking them right away then just go for it.

[Hammerhead]

By the way, what's a reasonable price to pay for an AF Between The Lines? Since these were the first I've ever seen, I grabbed 'em because everything else in the store seemed reasonably priced, all things considered.

Just curious to know how badly I got pounded.

[FunkyPorcini]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

By the way, what's a reasonable price to pay for an AF Between The Lines? Since these were the first I've ever seen, I grabbed 'em because everything else in the store seemed reasonably priced, all things considered.

Just curious to know how badly I got pounded.

I've seen them go for as low as $16 and as high as $37. This is mostly from memory so a more knowledgable BOTL might give you a better answer.