The ones your friend had at work may have been out of date - nothing worse than out of date chocolate, which tastes kind of like you describe. Reeses are puuuurrrrrfect when they are fresh, but get a bag of minis that has passed it's sell by and they are the most digusting thing ever (the peanut butter center gets all dried out). Anyway, I think that was what the deal was with the Hersheys you had from your friend.
And to whoever talked freely about making peanut butter kisses cookies, you are a terrible, terrible, terrible person. Favorite. Cookie. Ever. Love it when the kisses are still a bit melty.