I'm no FOG, but my
You are definitely on the right track Travis. Poorly stored cigars can have plume regardless of age, while perfectly stored cigars do not, again, regardless of age. I wouldn't call plume an indicator of a poorly stored cigar, but neither would I consider it a sign of a well stored one. It is what it is, an interesting effect of a chemical process.
If I want to know how well a vintage cigar was stored, the smell, feel, appearance (and obviously flavor) will tell the tale much better than the mystical plume.