Iwan Ries Private Blend

Iwan Ries' Private Blend is an "old school" American-English, burley-forward blend (the other components are latakia, perique, and black cavendish), which has been cased with a vaguely black licorice flavor. The tobacco itself is extremely sticky; the cut is granular with bits of stray ribbon and a considerable amount of dust. This blend is acrid and monotonous: a bitter, musty burley-ish taste and a slight burning sensation on the upper palate. It is indeed very much akin to smoking cardboard that had once been part of a box which previously contained a shipment of tobacco. It also burns hotter than the dickens, regardless of the puffing cadence. I imagine in the old days, when Ries's blends were still made in house, this was a good (if not great) blend. Perhaps it's time for the good people at IRC to find another outsource? Or even better, start blending it again in Chicago.