By Timothy S. Donahue

Top Takeaways:

• Industry Pioneer: Marvin Shanken died October 29 at age 83.
• Cigar Renaissance: His launch of Cigar Aficionado in 1992 helped fuel the premium cigar boom.
• Publishing Legacy: Shanken built a media company spanning cigars, wine, spirits and hospitality.

Marvin R. Shanken, the publisher who helped transform cigars from a declining pastime into a luxury lifestyle phenomenon, died on October 29 at age 83, according to the magazine.

The founder of M. Shanken Communications and the creator of Cigar Aficionado spent more than five decades building influential publications across the tobacco, wine, and spirits industries. His greatest impact on tobacco came in 1992, when he launched a magazine that would help reshape the American premium cigar market.

At the time, handmade cigars were struggling to attract new consumers. Shanken believed cigars deserved the same appreciation as fine wines, and he built Cigar Aficionado around that idea, combining cigar reviews with interviews, luxury lifestyle coverage, and profiles of prominent personalities.

The magazine debuted in fall 1992, despite objections from his management team, which doubted there was a sufficient audience. It turned a profit on its first issue and became closely associated with the subsequent cigar boom.

According to Cigar Aficionado, annual U.S. imports of premium handmade cigars increased from about 100 million to more than 400 million over five years.

Shanken’s interest in cigars began during his college years at the University of Miami. He later wrote about cigars for Wine Spectator, though his editors resisted the topic.

A 1991 trip to Cuba helped convince him that cigars warranted their own publication. “In the airplane, I said to myself I don’t want to die without having a cigar magazine,” Shanken later recalled.

His influence extended beyond publishing. In 1993, he launched The Big Smoke, an event that brought cigar manufacturers and enthusiasts together. He also interviewed leading cigar makers, including Carlos Fuente Sr., Carlos Fuente Jr., José Orlando Padrón, and Ernesto Perez-Carrillo.

In 1994, Shanken interviewed Cuban President Fidel Castro after spending two years arranging the meeting. His cover story drew international attention and further solidified Cigar Aficionado‘s profile.

He also interviewed Michael Jordan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert De Niro, and Francis Ford Coppola, helping associate premium cigars with prominent figures across sports, entertainment, and business.

Shanken’s publishing career began in 1972, when he purchased Impact, a small beverage-alcohol trade newsletter, with $5,000 borrowed from his sister. He acquired Wine Spectator in 1979 and transformed it from a struggling newspaper into a major consumer magazine.

His company later expanded through Market Watch, Shanken News Daily, and Whisky Advocate, among other publications.

Shanken was also a major philanthropist. Cigar Aficionado‘s A Night to Remember events raised about $30 million for prostate cancer research, while his other charitable initiatives supported education, hospitality, and autism services.

Despite his business success, Shanken continued to identify primarily as a journalist. “People think of me as a businessman or an entrepreneur, I’m really an editor,” he said in a 2020 interview.

He emphasized editorial independence and the responsibility of publications to provide readers with accurate information.

In the premium cigar industry, Shanken leaves a particularly enduring legacy. His magazine helped introduce handmade cigars to a broader audience, increased the visibility of cigar manufacturers, and established a cultural identity for a category that had previously struggled for relevance.

Shanken is survived by his wife, Hazel; three daughters, Samantha Shanken Baker, Allison Cohen, and Jessica Shanken Reid; two sisters, Elaine and Susan; and four grandchildren.