1792 Flake - Mold?

[shortyeastcoast]

Hey folks, does this look like mold to you?
The tobacco has always smelled a bit like dirty old basement, but :lol: I wasn't sure if that was normal. This was my first tin of it.


(click for bigger)

 

[freakiefrog]

looks like bloom to me, but I'm not wearing my glasses.

 

[aldecaker]

I'm not experienced enough to be able to tell mold from bloom. I am experienced enough to know that torching mold spores of unknown species and sucking it into your body is not a winning bet. If it were me, I would either pitch it, or offer it to one of our forum members who can evaluate it and make the call. It's a win-win: if it's no good, you don't get sick/die. If it's OK, someone gets free tobacco.

 

[shortyeastcoast]

Should 1792 smell like dirty old basement?

 

[brewshooter]

It looks okay to me. The fact that it's spread out over the entire surface is actually probably a good sign. If there was a spot of something grayish or greenish in one place I would be concerned. 1792 has a pretty intense smell. Personally, I would likely smoke that with no concern, but it's your call ultimately, since you're the one who will be smoking it.

 

[mikestanley]

The picture you show, while not bloom, is not mold. Its very common on the Lakeland flkes. I cannot remember what the explanation given is but it isn't anything to worry about. A lot of the 1792 I have come across does smell like a dirt floor basement. Its the problem I have with some of the Lakeland flakes. When you get a good batch, its great stuff. When you don't (and I think the dirt floor basement smell says not a great batch) its still smokeable but rather ordinary. I remember ordering a pound of Bob's Flake from Mars in 2010 (or 2008, cant remember) and Mike put a note in that this was a really good batch. He was right. Smelled like cocoa with a hint of latakia. To me, 1792 is best when you smell the Tonka bean topping.
My 2 cents
Mike S.

 

[jcsoldit]

I agree with Mike, although he is far more knowledgeable than I am on the topic. I have smoked some Bob’s Flake that did somewhat resemble your pictures without issue.

 

[shortyeastcoast]

Thanks, pipe dudes!

 

[beezer]

Coincidentally, last night I dipped into my jar of Samuel Gawith's St. James Flake that had been resting the past year or so in the back of my cellar and I ran into the same situation where I wasn't sure whether the flake had bloom or was getting moldy on me. I stared at it under various lights, rubbed the spots in question, smelled it a half dozen times...then figured hell with it. I packed my pipe after letting it dry out for a couple hours and it ended up being one of the best smokes I've had in quite some time.
Go for it!

 

[torque]

Not to be persnickety, but I believe Plume is the term you guys are looking for. That is when the natural sugars in tobacco begin to crystalize on the surface. Bloom is a term more often associated with molds and bacteria. Though bloom may be the correct term. Only way to truely tell is to get the flake under a high magnification. This is something most folks simply aren't equiped to do, at least not at home.
Under magnification, Plume will have an unmistakable crystaline structure. Molds (at least the more common varieties found in most homes) will have a shape reminiscent of a mushroom.
That said, I have a bunch of SJF myself ranging between one and two years old that exibits this exact same characterist and, as beezer pointed out, it's just awesome stuff. I think having their flakes plume up, even after just a couple of years, is pretty common for SG products. Another reason I find them to be a top of the line blender.

 

[beezer]

Ha. Right plume not bloom! Too funny.
Yeah, I loved the SJF. Might just fire up another bowl of it now.

 

[mranglophile]

Looks great, just sugar on it.....looks like lots of the flakes I get from SG. I have some 1792 just like it and the SG chocolate flake has it often as well with little aging, I am assuming it's due to the extra sugary topping/casing. Enjoy!

 

[saltedplug]

In the cigar world white stuff on them is called bloom or spume. It is some sort of signal from the changes wrought by aging. As long as under a magnifying glass is doesn't look furry, it's not mold. It is common for flakes of a certain age to show up white. It's harmless and may also indicate age.

 

[papipeguy]

I agree that it looks fine but if in doubt, have friend smoke it and wait for an hour. I smoke 1792 on a regular basis and love the stuff.