Mold
1. The form used in cigarmaking to give shape to a finished bunch (see photo). It is a form with slots that approximates the size and diameter of the cigar being made. After a mold is filled, the top half of the form is placed over it and the mold is taken to a manual (or automated) hydraulic press. The bunches are usually pressed for 30 to 45 minutes, with the mold given a quarter turn at intervals to prevent tobacco ridges from forming where the mold halves meet. At this point, some factories also put the cigars on a special machine known as a draw tester to suck air through the cigar and check the draw. Traditionally made of wood, many cigar molds are now made from plastic.
2. A potentially damaging fungus that forms on a cigar when it is stored at too high a temperature. Mold tends to have color, and when brushed off a cigar it leaves a stain. Cigars with mold on their feet should not be smoked. A fine, white powder that can be brushed off without leaving a mark is known as plume or bloom, and is not harmful for your cigars.