I know you are teasing but here's the straight story: Elijah Craig was a baptist preacher who is credited by some as pioneering the process for “true Kentucky bourbon” in 1789. He is credited with being the first to put his distillate into charred oak barrels, one of the key requirements for a whiskey to be classified as bourbon.
First brought to market in 1986, the long-running Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon provides the base for Toasted Barrel Finish. According to the company Press Release, “The process begins with fully matured Small Batch, which is dumped and then re-entered at barrel proof into a second, custom toasted new oak barrel designed in partnership with Independent Stave Company. Made with 18-month air dried oak, the finishing barrel is first toasted and then flash-charred using a moderate toast temperature and toast time. An extensive research and development process resulted in a final barrel toast profile bringing forward dark sugar flavors within the wood to create a balance of smokiness and sweetness after months of finishing.”
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Finish will be a permanent line extension for the brand, and is slated to launch nationally on an allocated basis in September 2020.
