This is a favorite straight VA thus far. Union Sq. grabbed me right from the first bowl and held onto me. It's so sweet, but not in a cloying way, and I find the figgy/raisin note is very present in the taste. Usually I'm disappointed that the flavor doesn't come through as much as the aroma, but Union delivered. I consider this a very good tobacco.

Stunning.

My sample was just the right moisture level for packing and smoking. It took to the match readily and required one or two relights along the way (more due to the fact that I had to put it down from time to time as I was doing some work at home). The overall Virginia character, for me, was reminiscent of Mac Baren's Virginia No. 1 which I enjoy very much. This offering, however, did not smoke hot like Mac's at all, nor was there even a tingling to the tongue. It was one of the most pleasant tasting Virginia smokes I have ever had. So much so that I won't be as concerned at the moment over the lack of availability of FVF or BBF from Samuel Gawith as it blows those two out of the water. Union Square has a nice nicotine presence for those who are interested in such things, and not over the top. I rated the flavoring as mild. There may not have been anything added as such, but this Virginia was pleasantly sweet and not bland by any means. There was some moisture present even after sufficient drying. The room note was exquisite, subtly sweet and not in any way cigarette-like or ashy. Returning to the room for DGT can be addicting! Smoked like a charm in a Weber sandblast (looks and smokes like a Dunhill) medium poker.

If you favor straight Virginias, this is, in my opinion, much more enjoyable than FVF or BBF, different than Dunhill Flake, but good in its own way.

UPDATE 1-17-12: As tasty as it was originally, the flavor and sweetness really comes to the fore after several months aging. There was some minimal harshness when smoked fresh, but now greatly subdued. Not a 4 star yet for me nor a regular in rotation, but when the muse strikes, it makes for a good smoke.

UPDATE 2-28-13: Going on 2yrs 1mo of aging what's left of my 8oz tin - about 3 ounces - this is the ticket for pure VA flavor and enjoyment. Simply stellar and up to the vaulted realm of 4 stars!

That said, US lacks the taste that I love in GREAT Virginias, like FVF, IRC Flake and the like. Maybe this is the less "bland" from the GLPease Virginias line, but still not quite on pair of the great ones.

Like a lot of G.L. Pease tobaccos, it is not always predictable. Some tins are wet, some are dry. Some have a wonderful aroma, some have almost no smell at all. Some tins are sweeter than others.

Union Square always smokes a bit wet and a bit hot, and it is always very, very strong. This is one of the strongest doses of nicotine out there.

Respect this tobacco. Smoke it slow, and you get more Virginia flavors and sweetness, and a truly orgasmic smoke. Puff fast and hard, and you will end up sick from the huge dose of nicotine and miss out on all the flavor.

Excellent with dark chocolate and/or port wine.

Best if rubbed out. Only three stars because you have to baby it and coax it and you can't just load it and go, and it is somewhat variable from tin to tin.

Upon opening my tin of Union Square, I smelled alfalfa with a bit of citrus and saw a beautiful dark brown flake. This tobacco felt very wet to the touch when I first handled it, making it really tough to light and keep lit. I let the first bowl sit over night and then tried again in the morning. By then, it had dried out enough to light easily and enjoy. From there on out, I dried this blend out for about half an hour before smoking and found great success with that method.

Over the course of the tin and having smoked the blend in about 6 different pipes consistently, I can safely say that I like this blend. It is light and sweet with a lot of citrus on the palate and some light spice through the nose.

Simple and straight forward, this blend is tasty without being overcomplicated. Blended with some great leaf, this is definitely a good Virginia blend to try.

Initial reaction upon opening the tin-'sour-crab-applesauce'. Not totally unpleasant, but blissfully, a scent that diminished within a few day's airing. (Didn't want to smoke a bad Jolly Rancher.)

My first attempts were with a light rubout....not totally unsatisfactory, as the tobacco took to a match ok. Too bad the taste was 'green', still.

Every subsequent bowl was similar: whether fold 'n' stuff, rubbed, or 'rubbed 'til it became dust'-a quality VA blend that screamed 'I need....(?) Actually, the 'dust' method provided the best smoke at the end...or was it the month or two of air? Either way, at this point, I could actually get a glimpse of what the proponents see- a carmelized sugar-fruit goodness that availed itself on the exhale like almost no other. Unfortunately, it was an occasional, fleeting, glimpse. Give me that 'snork' religiously, and US would skyrocket to no.1 with a bullet. As is, I could take it or leave it.

Is it worth a try? Why, yes! I am only one dude...my taste and yours are most definitely different. Just don't be too surprised if it becomes a 'meh' blend to you. (Try aging it if that's true...that is my plan.)

The tin aroma is intoxicating, in a good way.

It did not seem too wet straight out of the tin. But even after drying for days, it smoked somewhat wet and hot, and required frequent relights.

The nicotine hit me halfway through my first bowl in a large poker. By the end of my first pipe of Union Square, I was woozy and sweaty and needed to lie down. I smoke a lot of strong tobaccos, and Peterson Irish Flake is a favorite, but this one is significantly stronger. Choose a smaller pipe and go slow. Should have named it Union Buzz.

The flavors are also somewhat overwhelming. Full Virginia Flake is bland compared to Union Square. It is prone to bite, so slow smoking is a must.

This blend has one of the most pleasant room notes that you will come across. It smells the way a pipe should smell.

After leaving the tin open for a couple of days, and still drying the rubbed out leaf for another hour, it smokes much better: less bite, less astringency, more sweetness. When first opened, this tobacco is too young, too wet, and too strong to be an all day or every day smoke. After three months of occasional exposure to the air and storage in a glass jar, Union Square is finally mellow enough to make it into my regular rotation.

Best enjoyed with strong coffee on a sunny morning on the back porch, with the rhododendrons in bloom and the hummingbirds buzzing and a view of the sea, and nowhere to go and nothing to do...

It has the best VA taste i had and comes in almost broken flakes which i prefer .

I know Greg is known for his Oriental/Balkan/English blends and while this is different to what he is used to blend he didn't forget to surprise us again as he did before.

May the force "blend" with you Greg.