How different is XP2Plus from XP2?

I used and loved Ilford XP-1 film ever since it was introduced, with its long scale to capture shadow detail without burning out the highlights. It usually printed perfectly on Portriga grade 2/3. When XP-2 replaced it, it seemed nearly perfect, sharper, finer grain, higher effective speed -- in every way better without any shortcomings. I'm just back from a once in a lifetime trip to Yosemite. Because my freezer was down to only a few rolls of XP-2, I picked up a brick of XP-2Plus, and shot it just like I would have done XP-2. Whoa!! Contrast city! Grain more like conventional film, still quite fine but definite clumps. No deep, deep shadow detail. Mostly I photographed with a yellow filter, which I have felt matched XP-1&2 to my own vision. I have to question whether this lack of shadow detail is because of a different characteristic of the XP-2plus film, or because of the increased blueness of the light in the Sierra, which I was not accustomed to? Has anyone else found other differences in the new stuff?

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