Marvin R. Shanken, the founder and publisher of Cigar Aficionado, has passed away. The magazine, as well as its sister publication, Wine Spectator, announced Shanken’s passing on Thursday.
He was 83.
Shanken was born on Oct. 4, 1943, in New Haven, Conn. After graduating from American University, he worked for an investment company. As part of research about a potential vineyard purchase, he was introduced to the world of wine, which eventually led to him acquiring Impact, a newsletter for the alcohol industry. In 1978, he bought The Wine Spectator, a San Diego wine-focused newspaper.
He transformed the newspaper into a magazine, one that would often feature Shanken’s columns about cigars.
In 1991, he visited Cuba and wrote about it for Wine Spectator. A year later, Cigar Aficionado, a cigar-focused magazined was launched, kicking off what is known as the “cigar boom,” a period in the 1990s when cigar sales exploded. The first issue included not only the story of Cohiba, but the first public mention of the Cuban Trinidad brand.
In recent years, Shanken and the professional golfer Ernie Els launched Els for Autism, created to help those with autism and their families. Through various events and other fundraising, the charity has raised roughly $20 million and has its own facility in Jupiter, Fla.
M. Shanken Communications, his company, includes the magazines Cigar Aficionado, Wine Spectator, and Whiskey Advocate, as well as Impact, Market Watch, and Shanken Daily News.
Shanken is survived his wife, Elaine, two sisters, three daughters and four grandchildren.
Image via M. Shanken Communications, CC BY 4.0
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