Made in Kentucky
Kentuila: The Blue Agave Spirit Made in Kentucky
El Capitan's Frigate Kentuila, produced by Glenns Creek Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, is made from 100% blue agave. It is not tequila — and it is not pretending to be.
Updated September 2026 · By the Kentucky Loves Tequila editors
Why it cannot be called tequila
Tequila is a protected designation. To carry the name, a spirit must be produced from blue Weber agave in authorized regions of Mexico, under Mexican regulation. A spirit distilled in Frankfort, Kentucky cannot use it, regardless of what it is made from.
So Glenns Creek Distillery uses its own word: Kentuila. The name is a joke with a regulatory point buried in it, and it is more honest than most category-bending labels manage.
The expressions
- Blanco — unaged, the clearest look at the distillate.
- Reposado — rested in previously used Kentucky bourbon barrels.
- Añejo — longer aging in previously used Kentucky bourbon barrels.
“It's tequila's Kentucky cousin — 100% blue agave with a distinctly Bourbon State approach.”
Why we are covering it
Kentucky's spirits identity is built on wood, time and place. An agave spirit distilled in Frankfort and aged in barrels that once held Kentucky bourbon is the most literal version of this publication's editorial thesis: bourbon country meets agave.
It is a small-production curiosity rather than a shelf staple. Check with the distillery for current availability before you drive — we do not publish inventory we have not verified.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Kentuila tequila?
- No. Kentuila is a Kentucky-made blue agave spirit produced by Glenns Creek Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. It is not legally tequila, because tequila must be produced in designated regions of Mexico.
- What is the difference between tequila and an agave spirit?
- Tequila is a specific regulated category of agave spirit, produced under geographic and production requirements in authorized regions of Mexico. Agave spirit is the broader family; a spirit distilled from agave outside those regions is an agave spirit but cannot be called tequila.
- What expressions of Kentuila are available?
- Kentuila is available as a Blanco, a Reposado and an Añejo. The aged expressions use previously used Kentucky bourbon barrels.
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