GLP Union Square- Review

[chubbster]

Where to start. First off, I smoke primarily Va tobaccos. FvF, OGS, BB, DF, Mcclelland organic, Christmas Cheer, you get the point. Take my review for what it's worth to you.
I smoked this in a roush, dedicated to Va's.
When you open the tin, you get the usual Pease presentation. No news to explain. The flakes are stacked horizontally. You would be hard pressed to grab a whole flake out, due to the cut and how it is stacked, but it is possible. I loaded one flake in. No drying needs IMO, and it rubs out beautifully.
Light it up. The initial flavors are bright and somewhat citrusy. Not like OGS, and not as earthy as FVF. Once you get it going, it settles in well. Doesn't smoke hot, no bite whatsoever. I do get a tingle when exhaling through my nose, reminiscent of a perique laden blend, but it quickly dissipates after a few minutes of puffing.
The flavor consistently reminds me of Captain Crunch cereal. Absolutely delicious. Yeah, you et that typical Va taste and it is wonderful. However, you get a nice bonus of the good ole Captain. Grassy in a sense, somewhat sweet. Hard to explain the sweetness. I'm sure you read "Captain Crunch" and think sweet. But it is vet much like taking not of the sweetness out of that cereal, and what you are left with is a delicious smoke that is darn near perfect.
This is definitely one to stock up on for Va fans. It WILl age magnificently, I promise. The price is great, availability wonderful, and the smoke is supreme.
Hope you enjoy this review and hope, if you haven't yet, that you try this tobacco.
Chubbs
Edit: Moved to Pipe Tobacco Reviews, L.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I tried it and enjoyed it but it did come off as very, very young. That said, clearly high quality tobacco. I do think it will age extremely well. I have decided to buy a bunch for the cellar (probably around 40 2oz tins). There is just too much upside not to do so.

 

[chubbster]

I agree and think that it could benefit immensely from even a year. I can only hope to see whys in store for it. I just ordered 14 8oz tins for the cellar an have 6 2oz tins for smoking until them.

 

[sparroa]

I've got some that's 2 or 3 years old and more that's hitting about a year - I've yet to try it!
I look forward to my first taste of Union Square...

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I would say the nic is average for a VA

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I got a tin of it a while back. Pretty good smoke. Nice and light and easy. Not too much of a nicotine hit. I can see a Virginia smoker keep at least a tin in rotation. It probably would benefit from ageing.

 

[chubbster]

I would say on the lighter side of medium. But I can smoke the strongest of blends and not feel it, so I am a terrible judge.

 

[pitchfork]

I didn't love Union Square. It contains beautiful, high-quality tobaccos and the tin note is to die for, but the proof is in the pudding er puffing. For me, the smoke tended to turn sooty, and the wonderful aroma from the tin just didn't have any relation to the smoke. I like the idea of using really fresh, high-quality tobaccos for a VA flake, but it's not for nothing that most of the great VAs and Vapers undergo a good bit of processing. FVF, Best Brown Flake, the McClelland VAs, etc -- they are almost all cased with a bit of sugar and either heavily steamed and pressed or pressed and allowed to ferment (thus the McClelland "tang").
Now, as many have noted, an aged tin of Union Square might be really, really good and I'd be interested to hear the results of a few years aging.
On a different note, I find that Triple Play has some of the same aromas and a similar VA component as Union Square. Most of my smokes with Triple Play have been wonderful, with the VA sweetness really coming through nicely, but last night (it was breezy) I got a bowl of Triple Play that turned sooty and just wouldn't turn back. It reminded me exactly of what I didn't love about Union Square. I'm sure the perique helps mitigate the sootiness in TPlay, but the minimal processing of the VA leaves probably leaves both blends prone to some "off" smokes. (IMHO, YMMV, etc.)

 

[chubbster]

LGF is fantastic stuff, as if Dunhill Flake. If you haven't, try OGS, I have probably 10 pounds cellared in 50g tins, I like it that much.

 

[chubbster]

I smoked a 100g tin recently. I buy the 50g because I get a big break when I bought them from smoking pipes, vs half as many 100g tins. I do however like the seal on te 100g better than the 50, more trusting in my opinion.

 

[salewis]

I was really looking forward to trying GLP Union Square since I have enjoyed most of his tobaccos over the years. However, I have to say that Union Square lacked any interest for me since I found this tobacco bland and uninteresting.

 

[chubbster]

I can see where some may find this bland. If you do not really love Va, to the point that some do, I honestly feel like you are missing the subtlety of this blend. I think it's delicate, and really tests your "technique" so to speak.
You can smoke a lat blend, and if you over puff a bit, you really may not notice it flavor wise. If you get a Va hot, it goes tasteless on you. I am in no way, shape, or form implying that I am a better smoker, so please don't think that. I just think that I am used to smoking these delicate flakes, and I believe if you aren't, you may miss something.
Of course, YMMV, and we all smoke what gets our goat.

 

[sparroa]

With Union Square, I think we are seeing the influence of flavourings on our tobacco.
If I am not mistaken, it is probably the only Virginia of its kind to be completely free from casings or additives.
That probably explains the claims of blandness that we have been hearing about Union Square. Tobacco Reviews is also littered with similar statements.
I would wager that this blend needs extensive aging to shine its brightest.
If it had been caused with sugar or chocolate it might be a little more popular right out of the gates...
Either way, I will be sitting on my tins until at least the 5 year mark. If it is not to my taste then, I'll be certain that its not worth waiting for!

 

[pitchfork]

If you do not really love Va, to the point that some do, I honestly feel like you are missing the subtlety of this blend. I think it's delicate, and really tests your "technique" so to speak.

I agree. I love VA's and smoke VA's /VApers probably 90% of the time, but to be honest it's been over a year since I last had Union Square (when I had only been smoking a pipe for about 6 months). That is to say, I think this thread has convinced me that I need to try Union Square again (of course!). As I mentioned earlier, Triple Play requires good technique, as does Cumberland (which I really, really like), but when I'm careless or it's windy they both get overheated.