Expert: James Yee - 11/21/2007

Question
I have some cigars that have like green stain patches on them and i'm wondering if this is normal or is it that green mold that people talk about from high tempeture?
If you could please let me know what to do, cause i'm a little worried if it starts happing to all my cigars
THANK-YOU for your help


Answer
Hi Mario,

Cigar mold is usually in the form of thick fuzzy patches (much like mold that grows on spoiled food).  Mold can be wiped away but when you remove it from a cigar, it will leave a stain on the cigar.  Mold is usually blue, green, bluish-green, gray and white and can spread quite quickly.  If the green patches on your cigars are not thick and fuzzy, then it's not mold but instead stains from previous mold growth that has been removed.  

If you think that your cigars may have mold, what you should first do is separate your infected cigars and keep them away from your other cigars.  Take a paper towel and first carefully wipe the infected cigars free of mold.  After the mold has been removed, lightly wipe the cigars down with some isopropyl alcohol.  This will kill any microscopic mold spores that remain.  Place the cigars in a tupperware container and let them sit in your refrigerator for 3-5 days and check on them each day to make sure there is no more mold growth on the cigars.  If mold returns, repeat the cleaning process.  If mold doesn't reappear after a week, your cigars are safe to return to your humidor.

Also, be sure to thoroughly inspect your humidor and make sure there is no mold on the interior wood.  If there is mold in your humidor, thoroughly clean out your humidor (wipe down and vaccuum) and gently wipe down the interior with isopropyl alcohol.  Reseason the humidor and then return the cigars to it after it has been properly reseasoned.

It's also important to make sure your humidor's humidity is at an ideal level.  Mold usually grows when the humidity is more than 75-80% so don't let the humidity in your humidor exceed 74% (68-74% is good).  If the humidity is too high, add a 50/50 mixture of Propylene Glycol and distilled water to balance out the humidity.

Hope this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I'll be happy to help.

Regards,
James