It must be. Apart from some NUB and Churchill late hours I have never truly enjoyed new world cigars. I tried this AVO with high hopes. Burn was perfect, draw was slightly too airy for me, and the taste?. Well it was fine, nothing wrong with it, but it is just not for me. Very floral with slight pepper. It is all personal preference after all, but I will be sticking to Cubans forever now. Like I said nothing wrong with it just not my taste hence a three