I think your explanation may have merit. Both Starbucks and their spiritual predecessor, Peet's, taste bitter, over-roasted, and over-extracted to me as well. And that letter from the exec reads to me like a polite exercise in denial: the bad taste is their "unique blend and profile". That's not even considering the inflated prices. No thanks. I can get a better bag of dark coffee grounds off the shelf at Target for $10.