Green Mold Question

[Riofan]

On my desk top humidor I made the mistake of putting filtered water from the reverse osmosis on the humidifier while I kept the box of Siglos VI that I got at the end of 2004 – The humidor was brad new and the cigars lasted a through a good part of 2006 and each was greatly enjoyed without any issues. I bought some single sticks and alternated with the Siglos here and there. For the past 9 months the humidor has remained pretty empty and 3 months ago I started using a Humid-EZE solution from the local cigar shop.

Early in the month I decided to add some less expensive smokes because the single Cuban sticks I was buying at the local retailer were getting pricey and I didn’t want to get hooked on smoking only Cubans so I placed an order from a prominent online retailer: I ordered a 10 count box of Montecristos double Coronas and three 5-packs of CAO, HODM, , Punch and some petit R&J. I couldn’t wait to get all the cigars into the humi and immediately took them all out of the cello . It was nice to see the humi packed with a few choices.

This Friday, I was checking out the cigars when I took a photo of my stash to post it on the porno thread and one of the Montecristos had 3 spots of green on the light color wrapper that may or may not to be mold. I could not wipe it off.  There was another one with a small spot and I smoked last night and was quite enjoyable. I opened the round humidifying unit and the sponge in it was either green to begin with or it were ever gray is now tinted in a dark green (it came with the humi I purchased in Brazil in 04). Using the tap water on the unit and keeping the humidor pretty empty was the norm for a long time and there is no sign of mold in the Cedar. The Humidity is 68-70%.

 

Here are the steps I’ve taken:

1. I removed the green spotted cigar from the humidor and all the other sticks looked fine.
2. I wiped the cedar with a clean cloth
3. I ordered a Prometheus Optima Humidity Regulator 100 cigar capacity and a digital hygrometer/thermometer to replace the existing (in 2 days).

I’m rationalizing that the humi doesn’t need to be quarantined, I might take Skipper's advice in the mold thread and use a couple of drops of bleach on water and wipe the Cedar again.


I got a couple of new boxes today,  that I don't want to introduce to the humi unless it is safe. I plan on waiting until I add the new humidifying unit in a couple of days.


I’m not sure if the offending Montecristo came that way from the retailer or if my humi was the culprit. Would the mold spots have formed in the 2 weeks that the cigars were there?

Should I move the existing cigars in the humidor to a Tupperware and throw a pillow in there? Should I put the 2 news boxes in a large Tupperware or are they safe to introduce to the humi after the cleaning and new humidity unit is installed?

 

 

Your input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Tonto]

1.) Can you post the picture of that cigar?

2.) The green spots...were they just a stain on the wrapper? or were they "fuzzy"?

BTw...If my cigars come with the cello, I leave it on....it helps to prevent damage when you move them, inspect them etc. (IMHO)

[macallan2]

Tonto's advice is great and I have nothing to add except FIX YOUR FONT WHEN YOU POST

[scott81425]

you buy the forbidden stuff at a local retailer? i'm not a mold expert, but i have had one brush with the stuff. some people just dust the mold off and light the thing up, as long as it's not too bad. i threw out my offending stick, wiped the inside down, and learned the value of a little copper strategically placed with what i was using for my humidification at the time.

[Rob The Long Island Cowboy]

i'm far from the expert but mold should be three dimmensional in nature and fuzzy.  green spots from what i understand (and this could be horsepucky) are discolorations in the wrapper and sometimes come about from swings in rh% or wetness. 

[Riofan]

1.) Can you post the picture of that cigar?

2.) The green spots...were they just a stain on the wrapper? or were they "fuzzy"?

BTw...If my cigars come with the cello, I leave it on....it helps to prevent damage when you move them, inspect them etc. (IMHO)

 

I tried to post a picture but my computer has some issues, I think the drive needs to be reformatted -I'll see if a friend can take a picture and I will post it. 

The spots look very much like stains in wrapper, didn't wipe off and are just superficial. I looked with a small magnifying glass and they don't appear to be three dimensional at all. Great advice on the cello.

Rob mentioned something about swings in rh% or wetness possibly causing the discoloration.  Is this something that would take place in the 2-3 weeks that the cigar has been in the humi or was it likely something that was already forming when I bought the cigar? Does the opening and closing of the humidor causes the swing?  I checked the humi with a light inside in a dark room and the seal is perfect.

 

Thank you for for your input.

 


 

 

[lucas]

A while ago I bought some cigars in a pack and when I was loading them into the humi I noticed the wrapper was green.  I speculated that it was mold but after inquiring with some of the guys here, I learned that it was just a color variation in the wrapper and that it was nothing to worry about.  In your case, it was probably preexisting.  On another note, I smoked an RyJ a while back that looked like it had some mold on it.  I brushed the mold off and lit up.  Half an hour later I was sick to my stomach.  The cigar was pretty mild so I'm guessing it was the mold that did me in...If i were you, I'd discard the stick if you have any doubt it has mold growth

[Skipper the cigar aFISHinodo]

green is the least worrysome of all molds. However, be aware mold is to fungus what rabits are to the animal kingdom. They LOVE to multiply!

So when wiping them clean, use a paint brush to get in all the crevases and do this outside to leave the spores there.

Then keep all affected cigars away form the rest. It should be fine.

Be advised tho, any cigar with mold will taste different!

[lz6]

1.) Can you post the picture of that cigar?

2.) The green spots...were they just a stain on the wrapper? or were they "fuzzy"?

BTw...If my cigars come with the cello, I leave it on....it helps to prevent damage when you move them, inspect them etc. (IMHO)

 

I tried to post a picture but my computer has some issues, I think the drive needs to be reformatted -I'll see if a friend can take a picture and I will post it. 

The spots look very much like stains in wrapper, didn't wipe off and are just superficial. I looked with a small magnifying glass and they don't appear to be three dimensional at all. Great advice on the cello.

Rob mentioned something about swings in rh% or wetness possibly causing the discoloration.  Is this something that would take place in the 2-3 weeks that the cigar has been in the humi or was it likely something that was already forming when I bought the cigar? Does the opening and closing of the humidor causes the swing?  I checked the humi with a light inside in a dark room and the seal is perfect.

 

Thank you for for your input.

 


 

 

Riofan, you have not described this as mold would be described. My guess at this point it is just what it appears to be, a green spot, no uncomon with Cuban cigars and simply caused by something as simple as a droplet of water on a leaf pre harvest.

[Bungalowbill]

[user=3]lz6[/user] wrote:

1.) Can you post the picture of that cigar?

2.) The green spots...were they just a stain on the wrapper? or were they "fuzzy"?

BTw...If my cigars come with the cello, I leave it on....it helps to prevent damage when you move them, inspect them etc. (IMHO)

 

I tried to post a picture but my computer has some issues, I think the drive needs to be reformatted -I'll see if a friend can take a picture and I will post it. 

The spots look very much like stains in wrapper, didn't wipe off and are just superficial. I looked with a small magnifying glass and they don't appear to be three dimensional at all. Great advice on the cello.

Rob mentioned something about swings in rh% or wetness possibly causing the discoloration.  Is this something that would take place in the 2-3 weeks that the cigar has been in the humi or was it likely something that was already forming when I bought the cigar? Does the opening and closing of the humidor causes the swing?  I checked the humi with a light inside in a dark room and the seal is perfect.

 

Thank you for for your input.

 


 

 

Riofan, you have not described this as mold would be described. My guess at this point it is just what it appears to be, a green spot, no uncomon with Cuban cigars and simply caused by something as simple as a droplet of water on a leaf pre harvest.

gotta agree with lz on this one. no fuzz, two dimensional, in the wrapper, no problem.