I have been wanting a flogger for the longest time now, ever since I was flogged at a local BDSM meet. I really jumped on the opportunity of receiving one from EF for free for review.

The Whipping Willow is created by Doc Johnson. It caught my eye because of the simple, elegant, and rather effeminate design and its numerous tails. This particular is also quite long, and is almost twice the length of your standard 12-inch ruler. The handle is smooth but will get slippery if your Top has sweaty hands. Luckily there is a loop to keep the flogger at hand.

It really gives a nice thuddy sound whenever it hits my skin, and if used strong enough, it gives quite a sting. I was not flogged hard enough with this toy to create welts, but my ass was nice and warm after the session.

Craftsmanship wise, it is nothing special and is rather cheaply made. It is made of leatherette and the cute little black rose at the end of the handle is simply glued on. However, the purple leatherette on the handle is neatly tacked onto the end of the flogger so it does not fall off. I like how many tails this flogger has compared to others: it has about 20 of them.

I tried pulling on it to see if it will unravel, and I notice that the handle would budge a bit if you use too much pressure. However, it is a good thing that the leatherette wrapping is tacked onto the handle, so if you keep using it regularly, it shouldn't be an issue.

I have a bit of a problem with the tassels though. While I love the design and the length of the flogger, the material is the layered type of faux leather that eventually starts peeling apart after some use. It also has that distinct rubbery, fake leather smell that does not seem to dissipate.

Performance wise, the flogger is pretty good. The handle is comfortable, and although it gets slippery for those with sweaty hands, the wrist loop on the handle should be able to provide a better grip.

On the skin, it really provides a thuddy sort of sting but it would take some work if you want to create any welts, especially on skin like the type found on the buttocks.

My partner says that he does not like the colour, and that the purple could have been a less "ugly" color. He also maintains that the flogger is a bit too long for beginners, and that some might accidentally smack themselves on the head from the back swing. While this is a great beginner's flogger, the length is a bit harder to control, so you really have to take care not to strike too hard if your bottom is not used to the pain yet.

Since this is faux leather, you have to keep it in a dry environment, otherwise it might grow molds. I clean it with just a quick wipe down of rubbing alcohol, and then make sure to dry it immediately. I keep it back in its box with the anti humidity pouch that comes with it.

The packaging is quite simple. The box fits the flogger perfectly and the picture of the woman on the cover is quite tasteful. It is made of just plain brown cardboard that has been laminated on the outside. Overall, this is a fantastic flogger with minimal packaging.