Ugh..... Mold?

Lasabar

I bought TWO boxes of Montecristo No. 2s..... The shipping only took 8 days! And then they came in like this... Part of me thinks the fine mist of white is plume, the other part thinks the blotches scream mold.... UGH!

phobicsquirrel

Looks like both, does it wipe off? The first bit look like plume the rest look like mold to me.

RBeckom

Ouch!

danielzreyes

phobicsquirrel:

Looks like both, does it wipe off? The first bit look like plume the rest look like mold to me.

+1

catfishbluezz

Mold...call the vendor and raise hell. And if they don't help, PM everyone who it is. That's BS

Lasabar

phobicsquirrel:

Looks like both, does it wipe off? The first bit look like plume the rest look like mold to me.

Here is one cigar, that I took a before pic of:


And then with my index finger I rubbed gently but firmly at the cap to the band:

danielzreyes

Definitely mold. Sorry brother.

Lasabar

Follow-up questions:
One, I know they pretty much can wipe off. But how likely do you guys feel that this mold is to spread? Humi is consistently under 74*F (that's on HOT days) but it mainly stays around 70*F and below and the humidity never goes above 67%

Secondly, I had ordered these for myself and for others, given that I ordered them for others with the slight risk involved and I am charging strictly cost is it moral to still dole them out? Or would it be unconscionable to hand these out to fellow cigar smokers to put in their humi?

danielzreyes

The whole box is most likely contaminated. Don't bother storing them, It will come back.

catfishbluezz

Lasabar:

Follow-up questions:
One, I know they pretty much can wipe off. But how likely do you guys feel that this mold is to spread? Humi is consistently under 74*F (that's on HOT days) but it mainly stays around 70*F and below and the humidity never goes above 67%

Secondly, I had ordered these for myself and for others, given that I ordered them for others with the slight risk involved and I am charging strictly cost is it moral to still dole them out? Or would it be unconscionable to hand these out to fellow cigar smokers to put in their humi?

do the right thing...get your money back. Would you want that in your humi? I'd assume not....since you asked.

Lasabar

catfishbluezz:

Lasabar:

Follow-up questions:
One, I know they pretty much can wipe off. But how likely do you guys feel that this mold is to spread? Humi is consistently under 74*F (that's on HOT days) but it mainly stays around 70*F and below and the humidity never goes above 67%

Secondly, I had ordered these for myself and for others, given that I ordered them for others with the slight risk involved and I am charging strictly cost is it moral to still dole them out? Or would it be unconscionable to hand these out to fellow cigar smokers to put in their humi?

do the right thing...get your money back. Would you want that in your humi? I'd assume not....since you asked.

I actually would keep them... They wipe off, they are not contaminated in the foot and it seems superficial on the surface. I would maybe keep them separate, but I would smoke these especially since there are portions that look like plume as well with the "Fine Mist" of the white powedery stuff that wipes clean off, but I do thank you for your response as I needed the other persons perspective or the perspective of someone who would receive these.

Depending on how the vendor responds I will either purchase additional boxes to share and keep these, or they are all going back and getting new sticks.

catfishbluezz

My two cents, if you sent that to me and did not tell me, I would be extremely pissed off. That's a cigar to age, and mold is mold. If the vendor does not respond, this is a small community and a lot of chatter goes on behind closed doors in regard to vendors. Replacing two boxes is nothing compared to the revenue they'd loose from BOTL that found out they screwed someone....they wouldn't be the first vendor on the scumbagslist.

Plume happens when tobacco is aged at ideal conditions over LONG periods of time. That tobacco is not aged at all.... And plume is not spotty, it would be a miracle if tobacco that is aged a year had plume. A good vendor will replace them. If you are comfortable with mold, then that's on you. You need to at least tell the guys you split with the truth and they should understand. If the vendor does not respond, flame them...it won't take log for the word to get out and it's the inherent risk you take dealing with ISOM.

catfishbluezz

danielzreyes:

The whole box is most likely contaminated. Don't bother storing them, It will come back.

x2

Glock1975

i wouldn't even think about, send those back. U paid all that money, the sellar needs to know.

bigharpoon

phobicsquirrel:

Looks like both, does it wipe off? The first bit look like plume the rest look like mold to me.

I agree, it looks like plume at the beginning and the splotchy ones are mold. Are the plume ones one box and the mold ones the other box? I'd send the mold ones back for a replacement, even if the mold doesn't return that isn't a quality box and it should not be your loss to keep it.

Rain

Glock1975:

i wouldn't even think about, send those back. U paid all that money, the sellar needs to know.

+1

catfishbluezz

I assume you think the 3rd and 4th pics are plume. Plume is a crystal, not a hairy spore growing out off the wrapper. I can zoom in with my iPhone and tell that is mold.

Diamondog

I can assure you there is no plume there that is all mold. Contact your vendor, if they are of worth they will take them back. I routinely have shipments in transit 3 to 4 weeks delivery time in the dead of summer and have never gotten anything like that, that is a shame! As easy as it may be to talk yourself in to keeping them, don't settle that would be an even bigger travesty. If you knowingly send those to others you are doing them a disservice IMO.

Lasabar

I appreciate the responses guys. The vendor has already contacted me, wanted more pics to make sure they are mold and not plume. I emailed them the pics and they responded within 10 minutes. They still weren't convinced but they certainly trusted me and are accepting any or all cigars back for a full refund.

Good vendor, quick response and now it's just a waiting game to get the new ones!

Rain

Lasabar:

I appreciate the responses guys. The vendor has already contacted me, wanted more pics to make sure they are mold and not plume. I emailed them the pics and they responded within 10 minutes. They still weren't convinced but they certainly trusted me and are accepting any or all cigars back for a full refund.

Good vendor, quick response and now it's just a waiting game to get the new ones!

I bet it's so hard when it happens to you. You see the sticks and say "Mold? Me? No, plume, yeah..plume." Sorry bro.

catfishbluezz

Lasabar:

I appreciate the responses guys. The vendor has already contacted me, wanted more pics to make sure they are mold and not plume. I emailed them the pics and they responded within 10 minutes. They still weren't convinced but they certainly trusted me and are accepting any or all cigars back for a full refund.

Good vendor, quick response and now it's just a waiting game to get the new ones!

awesome, that's great news. I've never heard any vendor admit to mold... I literally had one prove it...and they still wouldn't admit it!!

Diamondog

Lasabar:

I appreciate the responses guys. The vendor has already contacted me, wanted more pics to make sure they are mold and not plume. I emailed them the pics and they responded within 10 minutes. They still weren't convinced but they certainly trusted me and are accepting any or all cigars back for a full refund.

Good vendor, quick response and now it's just a waiting game to get the new ones!

If the vendor wasn't convinced and you sent the pictures or similar as to what is here, look for another vendor, thats scary this is clearly mold no confusion about it. Its good they are taking your word but really a vendor has seen this many times and there should be no confusion.

Vision

Im just wondering who they came from as me and RobGreen are looking to buy a few boxes... Is there anyway you can drop me a PM with the site/vendor?

catfishbluezz

Vision:

Im just wondering who they came from as me and RobGreen are looking to buy a few boxes... Is there anyway you can drop me a PM with the site/vendor?

same here

phobicsquirrel

Diamond is right. I was using my phone when I responded. That's some nasty stuff right there. Good that the vendor had quick response though BUT no way that happened during shipping. Have you ordered from them before? If not I would look elsewhere. I would say that if a couple had it then wipe them off and then cello all of the cigars and you should be okay but the way I can see it from your pictures get rid of them. A sad story indeed my friend.

blurr

I would possibly wipe that off all sticks and put them in a quarantine humi. Never know. That's pretty bad outbreak though so you safer sending them back. Did that vendor not open for inspection? The few I trust most always check for mold and bugs, but shipping can be awful temps. That's why I prefer to order my long distance boxes in thewinter months.

reggie713

blurr:

I would possibly wipe that off all sticks and put them in a quarantine humi. Never know. That's pretty bad outbreak though so you safer sending them back. Did that vendor not open for inspection? The few I trust most always check for mold and bugs, but shipping can be awful temps. That's why I prefer to order my long distance boxes in thewinter months.

Pm to you mr. Blur