I believe that if you cut/scrape off the mold the rest will be fine.
With a huge chunk of wrapped and refrigerated parmigiano reggiano, for example, I have been scraping it off before grating it for over 18 months now with no ill effects.
So this link and this link suggest that there are 3 kinds of rinds. Summary below:
Bloomy: Appears white, soft, maybe fuzzy. Can also be reddish/brownish. Comes on softer cheeses that have a more custard-like flavor. Formed by a spray of penicillium candidum before aging. Edible, but the flavor changes and may taste ammoniated over time (consume so long as it's palatable)
Washed: Color ranges from pinkish red to orange or brown. Caused by bathing the cheese in some kind of solution, be it a salty brine, beer, brandy, wine or some other alcohol. Contributes to the flavor in some cheeses, and tastes unpleasant in others.
Natural: Formed by letting the cheese age on its own, drying out and growing whatever molds might be present in the cheese or air. Tends to have a concentrated flavor of the cheese, but may not be palatable. Examples: Stilton, Montgomery Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Sometimes comes under a cloth cover. Should be edible, minus the cloth.
Additionally, there are two other possibilities
No Rind: There should be no guessing here. You've probably had cheeses with no rind...because they might come in a container. Ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and creme fraiche come to mind.
Wax/Twig/Cloth: Inedible. Should be discarded
My personal takeaway from this quick research is that I should learn to distinguish artificial covers (cloth/wax) from rinds. It seems like those that separate from the cheese will either be an artificial cover or an old rind, both of which are undesirable.
If it's indeed a rind, then I'd taste it, both alone and with the cheese, to determine if it's palatable. For Parmigiano-Reggiano specifically, I've read that it goes well in soup. Perhaps this is because it's unpalatable-y hard, but still contains the concentrated flavor.
TLDR: look for cloth/wax. If none, is it tasty? Does it feel good in the mouth?
Best Answer
I think that your culture should be fine, given your storage method and sterility in handling. All you can really do is try making some cheese, and see how it turns out.