My Favorite Cigar
Barry Melrose • Hockey Guru
La Flor Dominicana Capitulo II
Barry Melrose espouses a concise cigar-smoking philosophy. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” says ESPN’s hockey analyst, a former NHL defenseman and coach, explaining his love of the La Flor Dominicana Capitulo [Chapter] II cigar, which has a distinctive Chisel shape. He enjoys the 58-ring-gauge cigar because of its full-bodied taste. In fact, he warns his pals about them. “They give guys a buzz,” says the 64 year old. “When they smoke it they can’t even walk. I haven’t found one I like better.” Just in case he needs a backup, he turns to another powerhouse, the Fuente Fuente OpusX. “It’s an elite cigar,” he says.
A cigar smoker for 25 years, Melrose follows the credo “smoke better, smoke less.” One a day is enough. “The Chapter II lasts about 45 minutes, with its large length and ring size.” He lives in Florida, and sometimes smokes outside, but also in his studio. On occasional returns to ESPN, he sinks into a plush leather couch in Hidden Havana in Southington, Connecticut, about five rink lengths from the ESPN campus in Bristol. Ask him who will win the Cup and Melrose spins your head, rattling off rosters and hot goalies and clubs with top draft picks. For the Stanley Cup finals this summer, Melrose likes Colorado’s chances over defending champ Tampa Bay. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “No one talks about the game of hockey better than Barry.”
