Plume vs Mold

Plume, also called bloom, is a fine white crystalline residue of oils that migrate to the wrapper surface during long, stable aging; it brushes off cleanly and leaves no mark. Mold is a living growth, usually blue-green or gray, fuzzy, raised, patchy, and it stains the leaf and smells musty.

Mistaking mold for plume ruins whole boxes, since mold spreads and mold-damaged cigars should be discarded rather than wiped and smoked.