A lot of times a drop of water on a leaf can cause a lens like action where that part of the leaf gets a different intensity of sunlight. Ive never seen black ones though.

 

I have to agree with Adam. I have had cigars with little black spots her and there. well not really black but darker brown. I have also had a few with lighter spots on them.

 

I have a four cigars from a box that I was inspecting and these four cigars have black splotches on the wrappers. Some have more than other. I was afraid it was mold but after reading past posts on the board I have determined it is not mold. Is it bruising or just over ripened tobacco? The cigars smell normal but do not want to smoke them until I am sure what I have. The rest of the box looks fine. Any ideas?

I have a feeling your smokes are just fine. Are these maduro wrappers or are they a lighter shade? I've gotten Sancho Panza and La Gloria's that have had darker spots on the wrapper and they smoked just fine. My bet is like someone who posted previously, it is probably a water spot.

 

might be a water spot. might have a little pocket of maduro or double maduro on your wrapper. ive seen atan colored connecticut shade smokes that had little green patches on them, too. its a little candela patch where the tobacco didnt cure or ferment or whatever evenly.
as for your cigars... smoke them!

 

I just about freaked out when I saw these spots on my maduros. The spots were lighter then the wrapper though. Does any one have any pics of cigars in the beginning stages that have been infested by the beetle.

 

I just about freaked out when I saw these spots on my maduros. The spots were lighter then the wrapper though. Does any one have any pics of cigars in the beginning stages that have been infested by the beetle.

The first sign you are likely to see is a little round hole in the side of the infested cigar. If you are suspicious of a cigar, tap the foot on a white piece of paper. If a dark brown powder (beetle dung) is left behind, you have a problem...

GoatLocker

 

You will have a little hole a bit smaller than the size of the hole retractable ball point pens have at the tip. It will be a very clean looking hole, as if it were drilled out.

I had one cigar infested once (I got very lucky), but I took the precaution of freezing the box just in case the suckers made it into other cigars.

I smoked the cigar that had holes in it anyway, beetle dung and all! :w It didn't taste any different than the cigars that didn't have beetles.

As for the black spots, I would say the previous remarks are dead on - water spots.

-Matt-

 

The first sign you are likely to see is a little round hole in the side of the infested cigar. If you are suspicious of a cigar, tap the foot on a white piece of paper. If a dark brown powder (beetle dung) is left behind, you have a problem...

GoatLocker

.
Very well put, you are talking like a gorilla.
.

 

I have a four cigars from a box that I was inspecting and these four cigars have black splotches on the wrappers. Some have more than other. I was afraid it was mold but after reading past posts on the board I have determined it is not mold. Is it bruising or just over ripened tobacco? The cigars smell normal but do not want to smoke them until I am sure what I have. The rest of the box looks fine. Any ideas?

MF,
I don't exactly know what it is, but I can tell you that most of my limitadas (maduros) out of 25 at least 5pcs. will have this spots. When I bought my first box of Cohiba Sublimes, I checked, admired and smell every single one of them and I never noticed any spots (if we are talking about same spots)
put in my humidor 70/70 and after about two months aging and waiting, I start to noticed those spots. Brought one to my cigar show it them, they said nothing to worry about. there explanations for me is sound like a normal occurance due the leaves and the natural aging process. of course they could just B.S. me well like buying a Cuban Cigar you got to trust your source. Saludo!