Plume or Bloom vs. Mold

[hazydat620]

I've been reading the posts here and I'm a little confused now.Most of you are saying that plume is dried oils that have left sugar crystal behind, or have they grown them? If a cigar is in cello and has bounced around a humi long enough to develop plume, wouldn't some of those oils make it to the inside of the cello and crystallize over time? After plume develops and your cigar is covered with it, wouldn't it leave a sticky, sugary film on the cello as you remove it? The oils that make it up to the surface of the wrapper that make the plume, all make it there at the same time and start the process of crystallization exactly at the same moment, hence that plume only happens in a even distribution and not spotty?

[cmitch]

Originally Posted by hazydat620

I've been reading the posts here and I'm a little confused now.Most of you are saying that plume is dried oils that have left sugar crystal behind, or have they grown them? If a cigar is in cello and has bounced around a humi long enough to develop plume, wouldn't some of those oils make it to the inside of the cello and crystallize over time? After plume develops and your cigar is covered with it, wouldn't it leave a sticky, sugary film on the cello as you remove it? The oils that make it up to the surface of the wrapper that make the plume, all make it there at the same time and start the process of crystallization exactly at the same moment, hence that plume only happens in a even distribution and not spotty?

Plume is tiny crystals that sparkle in the light so it's not going to leave huge splotches all over the cellophane.

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by hazydat620

I've been reading the posts here and I'm a little confused now.Most of you are saying that plume is dried oils that have left sugar crystal behind, or have they grown them? If a cigar is in cello and has bounced around a humi long enough to develop plume, wouldn't some of those oils make it to the inside of the cello and crystallize over time? After plume develops and your cigar is covered with it, wouldn't it leave a sticky, sugary film on the cello as you remove it? The oils that make it up to the surface of the wrapper that make the plume, all make it there at the same time and start the process of crystallization exactly at the same moment, hence that plume only happens in a even distribution and not spotty?

I have never had Plume or Bloom on any of my cigars. I have had mold. Mold will get everywhere -- the cigar, the cello and the wood in your humidor. Mold spreads fast and easy.

From what I understand of Plume the crystals are the result of the oils in the cigar. They take a long time to form and do not easily spread/ I am guessing that while is is possible to get crystals on the cello it is less likely as the direct source of the oils is the cigar, not the cello.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by hazydat620

I've been reading the posts here and I'm a little confused now.Most of you are saying that plume is dried oils that have left sugar crystal behind, or have they grown them? If a cigar is in cello and has bounced around a humi long enough to develop plume, wouldn't some of those oils make it to the inside of the cello and crystallize over time? After plume develops and your cigar is covered with it, wouldn't it leave a sticky, sugary film on the cello as you remove it? The oils that make it up to the surface of the wrapper that make the plume, all make it there at the same time and start the process of crystallization exactly at the same moment, hence that plume only happens in a even distribution and not spotty?

While oils will adhere to other things, crystals will not. The oils are coming out of the cigar (and here's where maybe I am not explaining it scientifically), but there is an unusual process that takes place - as the oils come to the surface they form crystals. The oils on the surface do not crystallize. That is why you do not see many cigars with plume. It is almost as if the oils in the cigar are squeezed out as crystals.

And yes, if you have seen real plume, it is dispersed in distribution. It may not be the whole cigar, but I personally have never seen it as spotty as the pictures shown.