G. L. Pease Union Square

Presentation: All labels in the Fog City Selection look the same. A gold stripe across the bottom, a white background, with a gray sketching of the streets of San Francisco.

Cut: Comes in small flakes , just right moisture, easy to rub out.

Tin note: Has a rich fruity, bready smell.

Tasting notes: This blend tastes grassy, bready, a bit spicy, tangy, slightly smoky, minutely sweet. Deep earth, a bit tart, and woody on the finish. Simple but delicious.

Mechanics: N/A -- A well behaved blend.

Extra Remarks: This is a great blend. With this being my final review in the Fog City Selection, I feel it's fitting that it happened to be a straight Virginia blend because I think Greg Pease made this whole series to display his deft hand with the Virginia leaf. This blend is a rather straight shooter, not too complex or unique, but that is not the purpose of this blend. The Virginias are quality and Pease brings so much out of just one type of leaf in this blend. A delightful "anytime" kind of smoke and I can say no wrong about it. 4 stars.

This tobacco marks a before and after in my short history as a pipe smoker. I hope veterans excuse me for the obviousness I'm about to write, but now I know that there are straight virginias that can fit into my usual rotation, that a straight virginia doesn't have to be bland, nondescript, flat and monotone. I have tried some va/per that more closely match this description.

With a broken flake cut (although the description says they are flakes), they appear when opening the tin shiny and ripe virginias with the characteristic smell of sweet hay, where I believe I perceive a certain spicy nuance. When the tobacco is turned on, the flavors of toast, cereals, nuts and certain sweet touches are displayed that intensify as the smoke progresses, with some almost honeyed nuance at times. And from what connoisseurs say, this does not have any type of casing, those flavors are natural! It burns well and evenly, without requiring too many re-ignitions. It should be smoked with a slow cadence so that it does not become monotonous, something that should be done with all tobaccos, although that rule is not always (and I the first) taken into account.

Of course, with this tobacco I prefer to pay attention to the smoke, without performing a task at the same time that can distract me from the sensations it produces.

02/27/2023: I've smoked a lot of tobaccos and a lot of virginias since writing this review and I haven't seen any that look like Union Square, which makes it a unique tobacco for me...

I can understand the drum beating and flag waving on this one. I got two 8oz tins from Rich at 4noggins and was glad I did. Good smoke. Burns well and easily with only one relight for me. (But I had to go and tend to my Chicken Kiev I had going on the stove). Very pleasant taste and note. Good body without the nicotine buzz. Just the kind of strength for nicotine snowflake like me. A good all day number. Highly recommended.

This is a superb blending of light and dark Virginias in cake form. My tin has little age on it, but tasted sublime from the first light. It rubbed out with ease and smoked cool and dry from start to finish. The nicotine, although higher than I'm used to, was very tolerable. The taste is elegant and smooth. I can only imagine what a year or two would do. Unlike most Virginias I've tried, there is little if any tang or sharpness. The slight sweetness is all natural and a welcome addition. I think that Greg has created a masterpiece in this blend and I intend to order a few tins for aging.

GLP's Union Square may be more "forgiving" than their Laurel Heights, but it still demands some attention to preparation, loading, packing and smoking before it relaxes and gives up its considerable goods, notwithstanding its "easy" appearance and almost cloying aroma when the tin is popped. In the tin, presentation is beautiful, merely-moist, mottled, soft flakes that I cannot spindle and fold into a pipe before they fall to rough, chunky "ribbons". The note from a young tin is barely damp silage under truly yummy, sweet, blended VA tobaccos, with the brights upfront. With age, add fermented notes of pineapple, apricots and golden caramel, along with distant fresh yeast and a drop or two of rum.

Union Square is one tobacco I prefer to smoke very dry, to the point where it's "crispy". Smoked "wet", and especially if it's rushed, it can get harsh, and/or soot winds up in the air hole, and/or one might detect a faint trace of ammonia in the air. OTOH, smoked very dry, and with some consideration, barely sniffing light puffs, it makes clouds of clean and bracing VA TOBACCO smoke that features most of the tin notes, and the taste follows suit. It does require some attention as it is smoked, or it will go out; but there is no penalty - at all - for re-lighting it.

After a short trial period, US has smoked well for me, and it keeps getting better as it is smoked down. The aftertaste is - surprise - delicious VA tobacco, sweet but not saccharin, never bitter, with no ash. I love it. Nicotine is like Laurel Heights, which is to say, stealthy, building quite slowly toward "strong" over the course of a bowl and thereafter. It only took me a couple of tries to learn to hold off with a second bowl.

While it's hardly a no-brainer, I find US quite relaxing and very satisfying, along the lines of several other Pease blends I enjoy. Highly recommended to those who feel up to the "challenge". And aging just makes it better...

I love trying a new GLP blend, Whether it makes it to my rotation or not, Every blend is interesting, complex, and well put together. This comes in a cut flake form, and on poping the tin smells organic and rich. For me, this is best packed after a couple hours to air. Pipe used was a Bing's Favorite dedicated to Virginias. This Virginia symphony is not sweet by any stretch, It's very earthy at its base- Like Wheat. There is a combining flavor thats a bit sharp, like hops in an IPA- This would be a great smoke on a hot day with a beer. The burn rate is nice and consistant, not too hot, few relights. Faster cadance brought more hoppy like spice, while breath smoking almost reached a nice ale like body. The strength is what I would deem a medium, and the finish was clean and dottle free. My tin was two weeks old, but I imagine this will age nicely given the conditions in the tin and the Virginias sed, but it is fine from the starting gate. I would recomend this as an all the time smoke, but I also plan on aging a few a few years to see how it matures.

3rdguy

One of the complaints I have with straight Virginias is that they usually leave me wanting more. Sometimes I get mostly hot air. Probably why I have a preference for Burley. This is one of the few Virginias that delivers on enough flavor, some nic, nice ease of smoke and has me coming back for more.

Nice retrohale of mild flavor. Burns to a nice white ash everytime. I prefer it in cobs which seem to add just a bump and a giggle more of sweetness. Takes a few relights but once it is going you can put your lighter away. I have over 5 lbs in the cellar of this one and have no regrets. I can now choose to only smoke it with a minimum of 3 years of age. I prefer it to FVF.

Highly recommended.

One of my consistent, favorite straight pure Virginias. Rich and satisfying blend of flue cured red and bright leaves. Thin, narrow strips cut from larger flakes; think SG FVF cut into toothpick size pieces. Simple Natural sweetness, that displays complex aromas all at once. The cut lights and packs easily, smokes clean and slowly, and a bowl lasts a long time. This one can really be nursed, and it stays evenly lit, even in a mild breeze. A highly recommended mainstay Virginia.

If my memory suits me well I smoked this around 5 years ago fresh. I remember a fairly strong blend with nice simple flavors and a few harsh notes. I remember it being good and ordered more tins knowing the master behind the blend and my love for Virginias. Fast forward to now, smoking a tin 5 years old and wow. Smoking the cleanest tasting full Virginia that smokes like a mild one. Subtle sweetness, minimal citrus, fermented hay and oats, a little earth, and slightest tang. The flavors remain consistent but do develop down the bowl and become slightly deeper. Practically no spice only on retrohale do you get that Virginia tingle. Unique in the tobacco world and if only using a few words to surmise. Smooth, rich, singular flavor of excellent expression. Superb.