Cigar Aficionado

Origins and history

Cigar Aficionado magazine debuted in the fall of 1992, launched in New York City by Marvin R. Shanken, longtime publisher of Wine Spectator magazine. Prior to launching the publication, Shanken engaged in extensive market research, collecting more than 1,300 four-page surveys of cigar smokers which detailed their occupation, income, net worth, travel tendencies, as well as their drinking and smoking habits. Survey results revealed a well-heeled and dedicated male demographic, with survey respondents professing an average household income of $194,000 and a net worth of $1.54 million and claiming to smoke on average ten cigars per week. Shanken launched a large-format glossy magazine aimed at corralling these readers and advertisers of products targeted to this audience.

Cigar Aficionado began as a lifestyle magazine, including coverage of wine, spirits, travel, gambling, and antiques, in addition to interviews with leading personalities in the cigar industry and feature articles relating to the cigarmaking industry. From the beginning the magazine emphasized celebrity profiles, including cover stories on Rush Limbaugh, Jack Nicholson, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The new magazine's successful blending of lifestyle reports and celebrity glitz has been credited with contributing to the 1990s cigar boom.

The publication scored its first great journalistic coup on February 4, 1994, when editor and publisher Shanken met Fidel Castro in Havana for a two-hour interview. During this interview Castro recounted the story behind the establishment of the Cohiba brand, told stories of the importance of cigars to his life as a revolutionary in the mountains of Cuba, and explained his decision to give up cigar smoking in August 1986 as part of a national campaign against tobacco use. In addition to these topics of special interest to cigar smokers, the interview touched upon bilateral relations between the United States and Cuba, during the course of which Castro accused the United States of repeatedly "moving the goalposts back" for ending the Cuban economic embargo and said that "no other country has as unblemished behavior about human rights" as Cuba.

Events

Cigar Aficionado hosts the annual Big Smoke Las Vegas, which has drawn cigar-loving visitors from around the world since the early 90s, when Marvin R. Shanken held the first Big Smoke event, which took place in New York City. Big Smoke attendees enjoy premium cigars, spirits and food, and participate in cigar and tasting seminars.

Cigar Aficionado and sister publication Whisky Advocate together co-host Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest, an annual event held in Hollywood, Florida since 2021.

Ratings

From its inception, Cigar Aficionado has made use of blind taste testing of cigars, comparing the merits of one brand to another, expressed on the basis of a 100-point scale similar to the one used in sister publication Wine Spectator.

The publication annually releases its Top 25 list, where editors select the best cigars of the year. The full list and rankings are a product of a year-long journey and hundreds of reviewed cigars. The Top 25 includes the Cigar of the Year honor.

Cigar of the Year

References

References

1. "About Us".
2. "Download Our Media Kit".
3. "One-on-One with Michael Jordan".
4. "On His Own Terms".
5. "A Conversation With The Rock".
6. "No Apologies No Regrets".
7. "The Interview: Robert De Niro".
8. "The World According to Arnold".
9. "The Rise of Usher".
10. "The Jonas Effect".
11. "Magnum Opus".
12. "No Limits".
13. "Lord of the Rink".
14. "Sir Charles Holds Court".
15. "Mark Wahlberg—The Interview".
16. "A Giant Second Act".
17. "Man On The Move".
18. "David Savona".
19. "Welcome to the Cigar Aficionado Club," ''Cigar Aficionado,'' vol. 1, no. 1 (Autumn 1992), pg. 11.
20. Lew Rothman, "Are You Kiddin' Me? Just How Dumb Does Everyone Think We Are?' ''Cigar Magazine,'' vol. 3, no. 4 (Winter 2006-07), pp. 138-140.
21. Marvin R Shanken, "A Conversation with Fidel," ''Cigar Aficionado,'' vol. 2, no. 4 (Summer 1994), pp. 46-59.
22. "Cigar Aficionado's Big Smoke returns to Resorts World Las Vegas".
23. "Join Us In 2023 at Cigar Aficionado's Unforgettable Cigar Events".
24. See, for example, "Robusto Blind Tasting," ''Cigar Aficionado,'' vol. 1, no. 1 (Autumn 1992), pp. 30-35.
25. "The Top 25 Cigars Of 2022 Reveal Schedule".
26. Inc, M. Shanken Communications. "Best Cigars of 2024".
27. Inc, M. Shanken Communications. "Cigar Aficionado".
28. "Top 25 Cigars of 2022". Maxim.
29. "Top 25 Cigars of 2021". Padrón Cigars.
30. "Top 25 Cigars of 2020". JR Cigars.
31. "Top 25 Cigars of 2019". Gear Patrol.
32. "Top 25 Cigars of 2018". E.P. Carrillo.
33. "Top 25 Cigars of 2017". Cigar Country.
34. "Top 25 Cigars of 2016". Cigars Unlimited.
35. "Top 25 Cigars of 2015". Holts.
36. "Top 25 Cigars of 2014". Cigar Place.
37. "Top 25 Cigars of 2013". Foster's Daily Democrat.
38. "Top 25 Cigars of 2012". Cigar Obsession.
39. "Top 25 Cigars of 2011". Cigar Place.
40. "Top 25 Cigars of 2010". Cigar Aficionado.
41. "Top 25 Cigars of 2009". Atlantic Cigar.
42. "Top 25 Cigars of 2008". Cigar Aficionado.
43. "Top 25 Cigars of 2007". Cigar Aficionado.
44. "Top 25 Cigars of 2006". Cigar Aficionado.
45. "Top 25 Cigars of 2005". Cigar Aficionado.
46. "Top 25 Cigars of 2004". Cigar Aficionado.