I've heard that the Kirkland coffee is the same thing they sell people as Starbucks brand. I actually despise the taste of nearly everything Starbucks sells as just coffee (their Sumatra variety is pretty good though), so I'm not surprised it doesn't taste good. I guess your mileage may vary depending on your preference for it.
It didn't have the burnt bitterness of Starbucks. Maybe it mellowed with age like a fine wine?