Although
these days, there are Scottish-sounding brands available everywhere, the true
connoisseur knows that nothing can match the genuine product of the
Highlands. Lochgelly (some insist on “The Lochgelly”), is a
name known to connoisseurs the world over, with good reason.
The dark
hue, redolent of the rich Scottish peat, the way the upper surface catches the
light… The glorious blend of smells diffusing from the slightly smoky well-cured leather
tinged with a subtle oil, that harmonises perfectly with the inevitable scents of
sweat and fear.
And the
taste! Oh, the taste. Many have tried to describe it,
none with true success. ‘Like an explosion across all five senses’. ‘When you first experience it you think this
can has to be the end – an unrepeatable, once in a lifetime experience. But then it comes again, and again, and
again…’ The sharp sting from the initial
contact with the surface of the skin is soon overwhelmed by a glow of pain that
penetrates deep into the body. The
aftertaste can still be experienced days later.
One of our young interns recently spent a day at Lochgelly, tasting one tawse after
another, and was almost incapable of speech by the end of the day. ‘A truly
humbling experience’ he eventually confessed.
‘Just
holding a Lochgelly in my hand makes me smile’, declares Miss Evangeline
Porter, of the Porter Reform School for young gentlemen. ‘Whether it’s the start of a full
day’s work with a class of 20 unruly pupils, or just a quiet evening in with my
husband, there’s a moment of silence when I first pick up the Lochgelly. I
like to savour that peaceful moment, taking my time so I can more fully
appreciate the pleasure I know is to come. And I always raise the Lochgelly in
a silent tribute to its makers, before I begin.’
Whether it’s
the classic single-tail cracking across the palms of the hands, a two-tail delivering a quick lesson in obedience or a more modern
three-tail being used to deliver a bruising in conjunction with a whipping bench, a Lochgelly will
always deliver the perfect end to a hard day – or the beginning of a night to
remember! So treat yourself. There are
some luxuries you can’t afford to be without.
