House of Windsor Union Leader

A true working man's blend. A little maple topping with an apple note that isn't always noticeable. The burley is a little nutty, woody, and earthy, and is the star component with the citrus, honey, and grassy Virginia being in the background. Has a mild nic-hit. Burns well, but don't puff too hard or you'll risk a little bite and/or harshness. The flavor is mostly consistent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Has a decent after taste. An all day smoke that is really a two and a half star blend when compared to other mixtures in this genre.

-JimInks

Like forrest gump said.. " she tastes like cig-a-retts"! my dad smoked this in a corn cob once in a while and I loved the smell, years later I discovered why he liked it. He was really a cigarette smoker and it does taste like cigaretts!! sorry dad.. R.I.P. ( no thanks to the cigs)

I am smoking up a pouch of the original US Tobacco Union Leader given to me by a friend. It came very dry and I got some moisture in it before smoking.

This is a basic burley blend with a mild honey topping. I can believe there is a little Virginia in there, but it does not contribute much to the taste as close as I can tell. Occasionally there is a little tart in the flavor profile.

This blend is slower burning than Carter Hall, and I never experienced any of the bitter at the end of the bowl that is often part of a burley blend. It is a pleasant smoke and I would pick up a pouch every now and then if it were available OTC.

Eventually I will get some of the "match" sold at pipesandcigars to compare. I'll update the review when I do.

Wosbald's review is excellent. I was searching for a descriptor of this blend's tin aroma and he nailed it with "mulled cider". Perfect! And yes, this has a slight taste of honey but is predominantly good old-fashioned codger burley.

Taste-wise, this is a four star blend and I wish it would come back (I smoked from a 2 oz tin). It really wanted to bite, though, and I had to be careful not to allow it. Smoked slowly, this is a wonderful old burley with a pinch of VA. I found this much preferable to PA or CH and even my modified Granger. I can't comment about the overall quality tin-to-tin since I only smoked one but based on it, this is a solid 3 star blend, missing 4 stars based only on that elusive quality called "depth". If this were readily available, it would be in my regular rotation.

This blend is long gone. My Father smoked this stuff exclusively. It was some of the first tobacco I tried many years ago. For me it was the best OTC blend available in it's day. It's long gone, and any attempts at match blends left me disappointed. I was recently gifted a pouch of sealed old stock that I will keep for special days. I have been long out of it, but it brings back so many fond memories of days with my Father. The smell of it burning brings back memories.

Union Leader - also in a red tin - has a similar consistency and flavour as Prince Albert and Carter Hall. All are fine or crimp cut white burley with a light sweet maple-line aroma. Strength is mild and one dimensional. I made the mistake of buying the large tin of this, which I never got around to finishing. Possibly a good all dayer for those old timers who were brought up on these blends, but it's efinitely not for me.

After my disappointment with C&D's Bayou Morning Flake I decided to try a couple of House of Windsor's resurrected old timers: Union Leader and Briggs. I had my first pipe with Union Leader after supper tonight in a Large Missouri Meershaum. The scent in the tin is pleasant, though I can't begin to describe it. Moisture level was perfect. The cut makes packing, lighting and smoking a breeze: one match for the whole bowl. The scent of the smoke in the air was rather sharp, but not unpleasant. The nicotine level was satisfying. I had no problem with tongue bite. I enjoyed the flavor of a good, not great tobacco. For what it is, it is a good smoke, at about 1/3 the cost of my C&D Bayou Morning Flake. I'm pleased.

I'm smoking "Union Leader" even as I'm writing this review. I've been smoking HOW blends steadily since Wm. Serad reviewed them in Spring of 2003. "Union Leader" is predominently burley with some nice Virginia, lightly cased with some type of honey-like flavor and thus I would characterize this as a lightly aromatic, mostly natural tobacco blend. It smells good in the pouch, lights easily and stays lit because, as with the other HOW blends, is fairly dry. The aroma is wonderful and has that old-fashioned pipe smell that induced me to try a pipe in the first place. I give this a grade of "B".

I own an ancient [empty] tin of this, and was quite happy to taste this supposed revival of an old American standard, a pleasant, uneventful, typical non-Cavendish burley/Virginia blend.

It is too bland for me, but it is not bad.

For those of you who subscribe to Pipes & Tobaccos magazine, the Summer 2003 issue contained William Serad's visitation of many ancient blends being re-released by the House of Windsor. Being the tobacco freak that I am, I quickly spent $200 on all the available brands; Briggs, Barking Dog, Revelation, Bourbon Street, Field & Stream, Mapleton, Union Leader and Country Doctor. (I could not locate Model or Argosy).

I chose Union Leader to smoke first. A mostly Burley with a little Virginia combination which is lightly topped by what I believe to be honey. Upon opening the 12 oz can, I noticed a honey essence along with a lovely smell of pure unmolested tobacco. The leaf was very dry, packed very well, and burned cool and easily from top to bottom with just one or two relights. I smoked the stuff almost non-stop all day.

The room note is superb. The experience was "all tobacco" with just a hint of sweetness from the honey topping. While certainly not bland to begin with, the flavor and power increased the more I smoked, and by the time I hit rock bottom, the flavor and nicotine punch was delightful and dizzying.

I am glad this old favorite is back. If you enjoy top-shelf Burley mixed with some fine Virginia and processed in a unique and satisfying way, grab a tin of Union Leader and go to work on it, pardner!