G. L. Pease Union Square
(3.40)
A blended, sliced cake of high grade flue cured leaf, from beautiful, sweet brights to deep, earthy reds, without the added sugars and flavorings common to many Virginia flakes. It's rich on the palate, evolving in layers with the clean, natural sweetness of pure tobaccos. It offers a pleasant room note, and a delightful finish. For those seeking the pure Virginia experience, try Union Square.
Notes: Union Square was released in May, 2009.
Details
| Brand | G. L. Pease |
| Series | Fog City Selection |
| Blended By | Gregory Pease |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, 8 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.40 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 41 - 50 of 151 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 07, 2013 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Original Review 8-7-2013
I purchased a tin of this around christmas 2012 and wasn't overly impressed when I first opened this in Feb 2013, but by Late March I was really starting to enjoy it and found it slowly becoming one of my favorite Va blends. Although it won't supplant Dunhill Flake from the top of my rotation, I still highly recommend it and find it worthy of four stars as it is different enough from DF that there is room for both.
Greg Pease's objective with this blend was to make a very natural VA and he succeeds in his attempt as it appears to me to be as natural as is possible. This one will come off as pretty harsh if smoked mindlessly or too fast, it is meant for the slow meditative puff. It also has a surprisingly high nicotine content which was something I was not expecting from such a low processed light colored leaf.
I look forward to buying some more of this in the big cans and aging them. Something tells me this will age beautifully.
Update 5/6/2020
I just finished the second tin since the review above and have a few more yet in the cellar for later smoking pleasure. I am knocking a star off for now and the reason is kind of long and complicated to explain. This is something I almost did after finishing the first tin following that review, but decided not to at that time and am glad I did wait as I would have taken it down a couple of stars at that time.
This blend has clearly changed since I first smoked it in 2012 and I wish that I would have written down the tin date of that tin I purchased in 2012. The change I believe is a response to the mold problems that plagued Cornell and Diehl. It has been openly acknowledged that they do things differently now so as to avoid the problems they had in the past.
Now back to that second tin. I popped it and it had a large mold growth in it. I reached out to Laudisi and they graciously replaced the tin promptly. This happened after the change. Upon opening the new tin, the smell was much different than I previously noted. It had an off smell. Not the hay/citrus fresh smell of Virginia that I previously encountered. The new smell was closer to decomposing vegetation and not too different from that of compost.
I don't know what it was but I did not like it. Shortly after this I noticed that every new CD or Pease Va heavy blend had the same smell. As many of these were rum topped, I first thought that was the culprit and that the Union Square must now have that same topping. I have since come to the conclusion that this is just the way their virginia smells after processing. Whatever the case, I did not like it.
But what to do. Well, the answer, it turns out, is to wait. I recently opened another tin that had aged 5 years and the smell did not have the same effect on me. I don't know if it just mellowed with age or if I have just gotten used to the smell having smoked several of these Virginias since then. It is probably a combination of both. While I enjoyed this tin much more than the last, neither was as good as the first. I feel it can no longer hold up to the Virginias that I have rated 4 stars. Thus, it is now a three star blend. Good, but I have several better options in my cellar.
I purchased a tin of this around christmas 2012 and wasn't overly impressed when I first opened this in Feb 2013, but by Late March I was really starting to enjoy it and found it slowly becoming one of my favorite Va blends. Although it won't supplant Dunhill Flake from the top of my rotation, I still highly recommend it and find it worthy of four stars as it is different enough from DF that there is room for both.
Greg Pease's objective with this blend was to make a very natural VA and he succeeds in his attempt as it appears to me to be as natural as is possible. This one will come off as pretty harsh if smoked mindlessly or too fast, it is meant for the slow meditative puff. It also has a surprisingly high nicotine content which was something I was not expecting from such a low processed light colored leaf.
I look forward to buying some more of this in the big cans and aging them. Something tells me this will age beautifully.
Update 5/6/2020
I just finished the second tin since the review above and have a few more yet in the cellar for later smoking pleasure. I am knocking a star off for now and the reason is kind of long and complicated to explain. This is something I almost did after finishing the first tin following that review, but decided not to at that time and am glad I did wait as I would have taken it down a couple of stars at that time.
This blend has clearly changed since I first smoked it in 2012 and I wish that I would have written down the tin date of that tin I purchased in 2012. The change I believe is a response to the mold problems that plagued Cornell and Diehl. It has been openly acknowledged that they do things differently now so as to avoid the problems they had in the past.
Now back to that second tin. I popped it and it had a large mold growth in it. I reached out to Laudisi and they graciously replaced the tin promptly. This happened after the change. Upon opening the new tin, the smell was much different than I previously noted. It had an off smell. Not the hay/citrus fresh smell of Virginia that I previously encountered. The new smell was closer to decomposing vegetation and not too different from that of compost.
I don't know what it was but I did not like it. Shortly after this I noticed that every new CD or Pease Va heavy blend had the same smell. As many of these were rum topped, I first thought that was the culprit and that the Union Square must now have that same topping. I have since come to the conclusion that this is just the way their virginia smells after processing. Whatever the case, I did not like it.
But what to do. Well, the answer, it turns out, is to wait. I recently opened another tin that had aged 5 years and the smell did not have the same effect on me. I don't know if it just mellowed with age or if I have just gotten used to the smell having smoked several of these Virginias since then. It is probably a combination of both. While I enjoyed this tin much more than the last, neither was as good as the first. I feel it can no longer hold up to the Virginias that I have rated 4 stars. Thus, it is now a three star blend. Good, but I have several better options in my cellar.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 05, 2009 | Extremely Mild | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant |
I am still thinking about this a day later. After openning the tin I let it dry for several hours before smoking. Lightly rubbed out then smoked for over an hour. Light, naturally sweet with some complexity, it never bit the tongue or overheated the briar. This was high qulity Virginia tobacco. Burned down to a fine grey/white ash.
29 April 10
I am downgrading my recommendation two stars on this, and making it 'extremely mild' in strength, and 'flat' in taste. I don't think it's just me, but this tobacco is too flat, as least for what I enjoy in a VA flake. My tin has set for 6 months now, not a lot of age for a VA, but the sweetness/compexity that this flake had when new is gone and it has become a rathering boring smoke. I don't think aging will improve it, as aging tends to round out any sharpness, and this flake needs some "edges" to make it interesting. Perhaps a good flake for the beginner or those liking a very mild smoke.
29 April 10
I am downgrading my recommendation two stars on this, and making it 'extremely mild' in strength, and 'flat' in taste. I don't think it's just me, but this tobacco is too flat, as least for what I enjoy in a VA flake. My tin has set for 6 months now, not a lot of age for a VA, but the sweetness/compexity that this flake had when new is gone and it has become a rathering boring smoke. I don't think aging will improve it, as aging tends to round out any sharpness, and this flake needs some "edges" to make it interesting. Perhaps a good flake for the beginner or those liking a very mild smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2009 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I have been on a VA kick of late! I have been trying to smoke all the major VA's in the market and of course I had to try this one especially as it is one of the few uncased tobaccos on the market. So, I opened the tin and took a good long sniff of the pouch aroma and was rewarded with a nice soft vegetal aroma, something like hay but a little more rich than that. It comes in partially rubbed flakes of a medium brown color. I took the flakes and kind of rolled them like I would a full flake and loaded them in a Castello that I have been just smoking VA's in and proceeded to light it. It took several lights to get it going, but once lit, I settled back with it and a freshly ground cup of dark coffee. I liked it from the very start. A smooth sweet hay like flavor with not even a hint of any added to it and absolutely no bite. It remained bite free throughout the bowl. It burned clean and fresh and all the way down to the bottom of the pipe, leaving a medium grey ash with no dottle or moisture. Just a powder was left. After my first bowl, I just had to have another, I just loved the nice simple sweet taste it left on my tongue. The room aroma is somewhat like cigarette smoke but with a sweeter, smoother scent and to me was pleasureable. With my third bowl and much more coffee, I just have to say, this is a very nice VA, it leaves a nice aftertaste and it is just a pleasure to smoke. I am going to put some away to age for awhile as I know it will get better. This one is for those that just want to taste the tobacco and is not looking for anything else in their smoke. I highly suggest trying it!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 12, 2009 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I don't usually care if a Virginia flake is actually not pure Virginia but contains something else (a touch of burley, a hint of cavendish, or other condiments) as long as it tastes good. For the same reason, I don't mind casing and flavoring agents, as long as they are not intrusive and/or actually help to enhance the tobacco ending up in a still rather natural tasting experience. For example, I like several of the more conservative Mac Baren blends which are obviously treated with sugar, molasses and honey: they taste good, and that's enough for me.
Anyway, I was curious to try whay Greg would pull out of the magician's hat with this one. Pure Virginia, and absolutely no casing? A recipe for failure? A tobacco which would be devoid of flavor and difficult to keep lit? Since Greg is not crazy, there was no worry about these things.
Actually, to me, the tin aroma doesn't smell particularly different from other Virginia (broken) flakes: an intriguing perfume of dark cocoa, of dried fruits, of sweet/sour sauce, of hay. Same things I have experienced before. So, it turns out, the best flavors that come out of a good blend are actually due to the leaf. Good to know!
Packing and lighting is easy due to the broken flake/ready rubbed appearance: just stuff the bowl, press it a bit and fire away.
It is a very tasty blend from the first minutes: smooth but full bodied, alternating between a moderate natural fruity sweetness, a pleasant grassy astringency, and a very "organic" feel. It doesn't taste over-processed or too restrained: you can clearly always feel you are burning some vegetal stuff, but in a good way (=it never tastes like an overprocessed blend where the tobacco is just a distant hint). It does NOT taste green, edgy or sour, at all. Very consistent from start to finish, and rather complex too. And of course no bite at all.
Again, it is impressive to think that the big flavor this blend has to offer (it probably is the one with the most distinct character in the Fog City line, although Montgomery's creamy balance is still better to my taste) is completely due to the great choice of leaf, some careful processing and nothing else.
My only drawback is that, being used to lighter stuff, I find Union Square a slight bit heavier (in body, taste and nicotine) than I usually prefer. Not a problem, though: it's not a monster like Haddo's or some British Virginias, and I can easily smoke this in a small bowl (no larger than group 3 or 4 Dunhill equivalent). Actually, I feel that a medium-small bowl is also very good for the flavor development, because this tobacco tastes good from the start and doesn't actually need an hour of slow burning in a large bowl (like other Virginias do) to reach its optimum.
Anyway, I was curious to try whay Greg would pull out of the magician's hat with this one. Pure Virginia, and absolutely no casing? A recipe for failure? A tobacco which would be devoid of flavor and difficult to keep lit? Since Greg is not crazy, there was no worry about these things.
Actually, to me, the tin aroma doesn't smell particularly different from other Virginia (broken) flakes: an intriguing perfume of dark cocoa, of dried fruits, of sweet/sour sauce, of hay. Same things I have experienced before. So, it turns out, the best flavors that come out of a good blend are actually due to the leaf. Good to know!
Packing and lighting is easy due to the broken flake/ready rubbed appearance: just stuff the bowl, press it a bit and fire away.
It is a very tasty blend from the first minutes: smooth but full bodied, alternating between a moderate natural fruity sweetness, a pleasant grassy astringency, and a very "organic" feel. It doesn't taste over-processed or too restrained: you can clearly always feel you are burning some vegetal stuff, but in a good way (=it never tastes like an overprocessed blend where the tobacco is just a distant hint). It does NOT taste green, edgy or sour, at all. Very consistent from start to finish, and rather complex too. And of course no bite at all.
Again, it is impressive to think that the big flavor this blend has to offer (it probably is the one with the most distinct character in the Fog City line, although Montgomery's creamy balance is still better to my taste) is completely due to the great choice of leaf, some careful processing and nothing else.
My only drawback is that, being used to lighter stuff, I find Union Square a slight bit heavier (in body, taste and nicotine) than I usually prefer. Not a problem, though: it's not a monster like Haddo's or some British Virginias, and I can easily smoke this in a small bowl (no larger than group 3 or 4 Dunhill equivalent). Actually, I feel that a medium-small bowl is also very good for the flavor development, because this tobacco tastes good from the start and doesn't actually need an hour of slow burning in a large bowl (like other Virginias do) to reach its optimum.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 30, 2022 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This blend satisfies that pure Virginia craving. I personally let the tin air out for a few hours before putting it into a jar, as I find it brings out more of the natural sweetness. This is a very sweet Virginia, with sugar and honey dominating the taste spectrum in the most wonderful of ways. This one is perfect for rotating between earthy Virginias or VaPers.
It is a few notches below medium in taste, but the depth is absolutely there. I think this is what makes this blend so special, allowing it to be smoked very often without losing its magic.
This tobacco is the definition of an all day Virginia, especially if you lean towards the sweeter side. Not much more to add here that hasn't already been said, but if you are a straight Virginia person and haven't given this blend a try, it's a must. Does not bite which is so nice for a Virginia this pure.
Ages beautifully. Had one tin that was around 7 years old and was perfect.
It is a few notches below medium in taste, but the depth is absolutely there. I think this is what makes this blend so special, allowing it to be smoked very often without losing its magic.
This tobacco is the definition of an all day Virginia, especially if you lean towards the sweeter side. Not much more to add here that hasn't already been said, but if you are a straight Virginia person and haven't given this blend a try, it's a must. Does not bite which is so nice for a Virginia this pure.
Ages beautifully. Had one tin that was around 7 years old and was perfect.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2021 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
From the tin, Union Square is a broken flake that is a little on the moist side. I would recommend a some drying time but not much. The flakes easily rub out to a ribbon cut if desired. The tin note is earthy, tangy, spicy, fermented, and semi sweet.
This one smokes different then the aroma. The flavor profile ranges from earthy lows to bright highs. I think earthy is the predominant flavor and gives the blend a very round profile. There is a lot of bready and hay notes present that are semi sweet, but it is a nice natural sweetness. The Red Virginias add tangy fruity flavors as well as hint of subtle spices. The brights are in the background but still noticeable in every puff. They are mildly citrusy with a touch of lemon grass. The blend offers some complexity with each Virginia fighting for the lead at various times. In my experience, it starts off more earthy and gets sweeter as the bowl progresses.
Union Square behaved well. It didn’t offer any tongue bite and smoked cool for a Virginia. Towards the end of the bowl there is an ashy taste present, but only the very bottom of the bowl. It required a normal amount of relights and did leave some moisture behind. It’s full in flavor and a medium in the vitamin N department. I wouldn’t want to smoke this blend all day because of the nuances in the flavor but this would be a very good smoke in the evening to unwind with when you have the time to pay full attention to the pipe. I also believe this will age very well. 3.75 out of 4 stars.
This one smokes different then the aroma. The flavor profile ranges from earthy lows to bright highs. I think earthy is the predominant flavor and gives the blend a very round profile. There is a lot of bready and hay notes present that are semi sweet, but it is a nice natural sweetness. The Red Virginias add tangy fruity flavors as well as hint of subtle spices. The brights are in the background but still noticeable in every puff. They are mildly citrusy with a touch of lemon grass. The blend offers some complexity with each Virginia fighting for the lead at various times. In my experience, it starts off more earthy and gets sweeter as the bowl progresses.
Union Square behaved well. It didn’t offer any tongue bite and smoked cool for a Virginia. Towards the end of the bowl there is an ashy taste present, but only the very bottom of the bowl. It required a normal amount of relights and did leave some moisture behind. It’s full in flavor and a medium in the vitamin N department. I wouldn’t want to smoke this blend all day because of the nuances in the flavor but this would be a very good smoke in the evening to unwind with when you have the time to pay full attention to the pipe. I also believe this will age very well. 3.75 out of 4 stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24, 2021 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Straight Virginia blends are not typically something I reach for, but this tobacco was very nice. It has all the Virgina flavors that you come to expect: sweetness, citrus, bread, grassiness, some mild pepper, and earthiness. This tobacco also offered some occasional notes of coffee which was very nice.
It performed pretty well but burned a little hot for me, and needed attention. This is not something I will go out of my way for but I could see myself reaching for it if I have a serious craving for a straight Virgina blend that is on the brighter side.
It performed pretty well but burned a little hot for me, and needed attention. This is not something I will go out of my way for but I could see myself reaching for it if I have a serious craving for a straight Virgina blend that is on the brighter side.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 11, 2020 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Union Square is a great Virginia blend that does just about everything extremely well. The Virginias themselves are middle of the road in terms of taste when you think about the variations of flavors that Virginias can take on. Union Square has a slight bready note, but it's not a predominantly bready Virginia like Escudo. It also has a slight hay like note, but not predominantly like Orlik Golden Sliced. And lastly, it has a slight earthy, leaf litter like Virginia note, but not so predominantly as something like SG Full Virginia Flake. It's mild, extremely pleasant taste wise and subtle. The room note is sweet smelling for a Virginia and not off-putting in the slightest. It's not overly sweet like some Virginias, but the sugar content is certainly there and this blend will age well with time. It is well behaved and doesn't bite, even if it's pushed, requires very little maintenance and relights and the broken flakes are easy to work with. Bottom line, It's a phenomenal smoke from start to finish. I smoke it most often in a Savinelli 2622 pipe which has medium sized, medium height to the bowl itself. This blend, however, is more resilient and less picky in terms of pipe selection than I've had with other blends (HH Pure Virginia is a good example). To get to the point (if you haven't figured it out already), this is an easy 4 out of 4 star blend. I smoke it regularly and after spending some time with it have decided to cellar numerous tins of it. It's wonderful that it comes in 8 oz tins and that the price is very affordable. To be honest, I haven't found anything else quite like it because it just does everything well straight Virginia wise. Pick up a tin or 20 😉 and I think you'll be happy you did...
Pipe Used:
Several but Savinelli 2622 is my go-to
PurchasedFrom:
Everywhere
Age When Smoked:
Fresh, 1, 2 and 3 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 08, 2020 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Not exceptionally complex but a good solid rich Virginia blend. Doesn’t have the traditional Virginia notes one would expect. Didn’t get any grassy hay or much citrus. Instead, a marzipan and orgeat bomb with a cinnamon finish and some mild woodsy dryness in the mouth . Blend gets more flavorful as the bowl progresses. Sweetness not sugar on the tongue instead a deeper kind of almond pastry sweetness. Quite good but not what I’d expect from most Virginia blends. More of a desert blend. Unique and delicious. Warm smoke but no bite. Might up dry time to 30 minutes. Nic got more than most Virginias, medium nic.
Method: cut flake with scissors, 10 minute dry time Location: inside
Method: cut flake with scissors, 10 minute dry time Location: inside
Pipe Used:
La rocca 1/4 bent billiard
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15, 2020 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant |
The tin note was nice filled with mild fruitiness. This sample has been aged for 6 years.
The smoke itself was mediocre on my palate at best. The flavors were quite bland and lacked the fine, sweet, hay richness I have experienced in other aged straight Virginias. Some say this lack of sweetness is an attribute. I did not find it so. I found this tobacco to be very ordinary and bland, kind of like a cigarette.
The tobacco burned hot and was difficult to light but once going, was easy to keep it going. Perhaps I have an off batch?
Not my favorite and I think I will jar the rest and give it another go in a few more years or maybe forget about it and give it away. In the meantime, there are plenty of other tobaccos out there to enjoy.
Out of respect for Greg and some of his other blends that are truly amazing, I give this a 2.
The smoke itself was mediocre on my palate at best. The flavors were quite bland and lacked the fine, sweet, hay richness I have experienced in other aged straight Virginias. Some say this lack of sweetness is an attribute. I did not find it so. I found this tobacco to be very ordinary and bland, kind of like a cigarette.
The tobacco burned hot and was difficult to light but once going, was easy to keep it going. Perhaps I have an off batch?
Not my favorite and I think I will jar the rest and give it another go in a few more years or maybe forget about it and give it away. In the meantime, there are plenty of other tobaccos out there to enjoy.
Out of respect for Greg and some of his other blends that are truly amazing, I give this a 2.
Pipe Used:
Castello Bent Dublin G size
Age When Smoked:
6 years aged
target="_blank"
