Snuffing away

Marvellous to read James Delingpole on snuff in this week’s issue and the very next day to go out to lunch and encounter two people both enthusiastically snuffling away. They managed to do so quite neatly, without sneezing volcanically into voluminous tobacco-stained handkerchiefs. One of them favoured a slightly mentholated mix, while the other’s was mustier, with notes of sandalwood and cinnamon. Their supplies came in small tins like miniature jerry cans, which was a little disappointing – I had hoped for exquisite enamelled snuffboxes and more of a flourish about the sniffing. Still, it’s early days.