Cigars/Moldy cigar bands
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Question
Hey James, I noticed that some cigars in a couple of boxes I have appear to have mold on the bands. I've never noticed this ever before and wanted to know if I should be removing the bands and cleaning the cigars of any potential mold particles or if this is a natural occurrence. The cigars themselves appear to be OK and they smoke fine as well. The only brand that appears to have this is the por larranagas that iyou have and it's not every cigar in the box. Attached is a photo of the occurrence.
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Thanks for the continued great advice. Rich
Hi Rich,
The green colouring on cigar bands is usually staining from excessive moisture/cigar oils on the cigar reacting with the gold foil on the cigar band. This causes the band to turn green (much like how a cheap gold ring can turn your finger green.) This only occurs with gold foil cigar bands as I rarely see it happen with non-glossy cigar bands that does not have gold foiling. I've seen this foil oxidization occasionally occur with Por Larranagas, Partagas, Trinidad and RyJ cigar bands.
Your cigars are not in any danger but if you see actual mold forming on the band themselves (mold is thick and fuzzy in appearance and grows in random patches), remove the bands and clean the cigars with some isopropyl alcohol and then distilled water. If you look at the green stain under a microscope and see mold spores (long tubular bodies and mushroom-cap heads), remove the bands immediately and clean the cigars.
I hope 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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