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He was instantly recognisable by the heavy bags under his eyes and his rich, gravelly voice – fine-tuned by whisky and cheroots.

Burmese folk songs play from speakers placed on the floor, and the woody smell of cheroot cigars hangs heavy in humid air.

It didn’t seem to matter that the twins cursed and chain-smoked cheroots, that they were just boys.

Officials say the tax currently includes cigarettes, cigars, cheroots, stogies, perique, snuff or snuff flour, smoking or chewing tobacco.

Then Victoria called over a respectable gentleman, greying at the temples, who was smoking a black cheroot and who grinned as if he had the toothache.