Cigars/Mold on cigars and humidor
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Question
Hello James,
I read your response on treating a mold infested humidor with alcohol, I'm wondering if there is an alternative treatment which has less damaging effects on the cedar?
Thanks
Hi John,
Using isopropyl alcohol is really the only effective method for killing mold. Mold can be quite resilient so it's important that you kill all mold particles present inside the humidor. Otherwise, it will reform and quickly grow again.
Using rubbing alcohol on your humidor is perfectly fine as long as you do not use too much. You don't need to saturate the wood. All you need is a tiny bit of alcohol to lightly moisten the wood and this is more than enough to kill any mold spores that remain present. After killing the mold, you can then re-wipe your humidor with distilled water to dilute the alcohol.
Hopes this helps. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.
Regards,
James
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James Yee
Expertise
My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".
Experience
I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.
Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)
Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto
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