Got my tin yesterday and wanted to share my initial impressions...
C&D Eight State Burley starts with subtle cocoa flavor and then the juicy sweetness from the red Virginia comes through. Just a slight hint of Brazil nut (dry, slightly bitter and nutty). There is a little bit more strength to this blend than I'm used to (likely from the burley), but nothing crazy (probably more like medium or less for most people). The first half is really enjoyable. I'm not picking up too much from the Orientals right now and the flavor goes flat and non-descript after the half-way point. Definitely gets ashy if pushed too hard.
I don't smoke too many C&D blends mostly because I have too much other stuff opened right now. However, I do love the C&D Sun Bear and my initial impressions of that blend straight out of the tin on day one were only slightly more favorable than this experience. I wholeheartedly agree with
@hoosierpipeguy that C&D blends generally need a week or two to breathe in the tin after being opened. Therefore, I definitely look forward to returning to this blend after at least a week or rest to see how it has opened up. I think that C&D Eight State Burley has more flavors and complexities that are waiting to be discovered and enjoyed!