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Distilled is a highly thematic and engaging board game that immerses players in the world of distilling spirits. Designed by Dave Beck and published by Paverson Games, this game captures the essence of running a distillery, from sourcing ingredients to aging and bottling your signature spirits. With a unique blend of resource management, push-your-luck mechanics, and strategic decision-making, Distilled offers a captivating gaming experience for both casual and hardcore gamers alike
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Mechanisms
At the heart of Distilled lies a clever mechanic that simulates the distillation process. Players must carefully construct their “mash” by drawing cards representing ingredients, then discard the “head” and “tail” cards, mimicking the real-world practice of removing the undesirable portions of the distillate. This push-your-luck element adds an exciting layer of risk and reward, as players must decide when to stop drawing cards and commit to their batch.
In addition to the distillation process, Distilled incorporates resource management through the acquisition of ingredients, equipment upgrades, and recipe cards. Players must strategically allocate their resources to optimize their distillery’s efficiency and produce high-quality spirits. The game also features a unique aging mechanic, where players can choose to warehouse their spirits, allowing them to mature and increase in value over time.
Age
Distilled is recommended for ages 14 and up, making it accessible to both teenagers and adults.
Player Count
The game accommodates 1 to 5 players, offering a diverse range of experiences from solo play to larger group dynamics.
Playtime
The playtime for Distilled varies depending on the number of players, with a typical game lasting between 60 and 180 minutes.
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Gameplay Overview
When setting up a game of Distilled, players first choose a tasting board from six available options. The choice of tasting board significantly influences the game’s dynamics. All players use the same tasting board, ensuring a uniform starting point. Following this, the game setup continues as per the rulebook, including filling the shelf board with labels corresponding to the chosen tasting board. Player count determines the number of labels and spirit awards in play.
Each player selects a color and receives a personal distillery board and recipe clipboard. Players are then dealt three distillery goals and two distiller identities, each featuring a unique, game-altering ability. Players choose one identity to keep, along with its signature recipe, ingredient, and starting resources. The identities originate from three regions: Asia, North America, and Europe, influencing the types of spirits they can produce.
The game unfolds over seven rounds, each consisting of a market phase and a distill phase. During the market phase, players use money to unlock new recipes, purchase basic ingredients, acquire premium ingredients and items from a randomized central market, and buy distillery upgrades. Players can only buy a maximum of two ingredients from the basic market per turn, but there are no restrictions on purchases from the central market, provided they have sufficient funds.
Ingredients in Distilled are categorized into yeasts, waters, and three types of sugars: grain, plant, and fruit. While basic versions of these are available in the market, players aim to buy premium versions for better spirits. Items include bottles and barrels, essential for storing and aging spirits. The goal during the market phase is to gather ingredients needed for distilling in the next phase. Every turn, players need at least one yeast, one water, and one sugar to distill a basic spirit.
During the distill phase, players decide on the ingredients for their mash and create a washback deck. This deck must include at least one sugar, one water, and one yeast. For each sugar in the deck, an alcohol card is added. The deck is shuffled, and the top and bottom cards are removed, simulating the removal of the head and tail of the brew. The remaining cards determine the spirit produced, which is then placed in a bottle and potentially a barrel for aging.
Players label their spirits if matching labels are available, and in player order, decide whether to sell or age their spirits. Most spirits are sold immediately, while those needing aging are placed in wooden barrels or clay pots. Selling spirits involves choosing a bottle and calculating points and cash based on the final mix of ingredients. Aged spirits, sold after accumulating flavor cards, provide bonus points depending on their flavor profile.
Throughout the game, players can claim spirit awards for various achievements, such as brewing with a specific number of sugars or accumulating wealth. After the seventh round, players complete the final scoring, including points for spirits still aging, bottle collections, distillery upgrades, accomplished goals, and leftover money. The player with the most points is declared the master distiller and wins the game. The game encourages players to share their victory by taking a selfie with a cardboard award provided by the publisher.
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Replayability
Distilled offers excellent replayability thanks to its modular components and variable setup. The game includes six different “tasting boards,” which alter the available labels, spirit awards, and scoring conditions, providing a fresh experience with each playthrough.
The game’s depth of strategic options and the push-your-luck element of the distillation process ensure that no two games play out the same way. Players must constantly adapt their strategies based on the available resources, their opponents’ actions, and the ever-changing market conditions
Components
Distilled boasts top-notch production values, with high-quality components that enhance the overall gaming experience. The game features beautifully illustrated cards, sturdy player boards, and a well-designed insert (GameTrayz) that helps keep everything organized.
The rulebook is clear and comprehensive, with detailed reference cards for all players. The attention to detail in the components and rulebook contributes to the game’s immersive and polished feel.
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Strategy and Depth
While the core mechanics of Distilled are relatively straightforward, the game offers a surprising depth of strategic considerations. Players must carefully manage their resources, balancing the acquisition of ingredients, equipment upgrades, and new recipes. They must also weigh the risks and rewards of the distillation process, deciding when to stop drawing cards and commit to their batch.
The aging mechanic introduces a temporal element to the game, as players must decide whether to sell their spirits immediately or warehouse them for potential future gains. This decision is further complicated by the ever-changing market conditions and the actions of other players, creating a dynamic and challenging strategic landscape.
Accessibility and Learning Curve
Despite its thematic depth and strategic complexity, Distilled remains relatively accessible to new players. The rulebook and reference cards provide clear explanations, and the game’s mechanics are intuitive once players grasp the core concepts.
Moreover, the game offers a solo mode, allowing players to familiarize themselves with the mechanics and strategies before venturing into multiplayer games. This accessibility, combined with the game’s engaging theme and high production values, makes Distilled an excellent choice for introducing new players to the world of modern board games.
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Comparison and Similar Games
While Distilled shares some similarities with other resource management and worker placement games, its unique theme and mechanics set it apart from the competition. Games like Viticulture and Vinhos: Deluxe Edition explore the world of winemaking, but Distilled offers a fresh perspective by focusing on the distillation of spirits.
The push-your-luck element of the distillation process is a standout feature that adds an exciting layer of risk and reward, setting Distilled apart from many other games in the same genre. Additionally, the aging mechanic and the modular tasting boards provide a level of depth and replayability that is rarely seen in games of this weight.
Final Verdict
After diving deep into Distilled, I have to say, this game offers a rich and engaging experience for those who enjoy thematic, engine-building games with a splash of strategic depth. Here’s my take based on my playthroughs and the feedback from other players:
First off, the theme integration in Distilled is phenomenal. Every element, from the recipe board to the distilling phase, is tied intricately to real-life distilling processes. This makes the game not only educational but also easier to teach and remember. I found the process of removing the top and bottom cards during distillation particularly clever, reflecting the real-world practice of removing the head and tail of the wash.
The gameplay itself flows smoothly and has an elegance to it. The phases move quickly, especially with simultaneous distilling, which helps keep the game brisk. The sense of accomplishment from filling up your player board with upgrades and ingredients is immensely satisfying. However, the two basic ingredient limit per round felt a bit arbitrary, although I understand it’s necessary to maintain balance and the press-your-luck element.
Teaching the game is a breeze, thanks to the First Taste guide and comprehensive player reference cards. These tools are invaluable, especially for new players, and they ensure that even those with little hobby game experience can jump right in. While the guide is great for onboarding, my wife found it a bit restrictive, preferring an example of play rather than prescribed moves.
The game’s components are of high quality, though the box insert could use some improvement. Cards tend to shift if the box isn’t kept flat, which can be annoying and time-consuming to sort out. If there’s ever a second printing, bigger and clearer iconography would be a welcome update, as the current symbols can be hard to distinguish from a distance.
One of Distilled’s standout features is its balance between strategy and luck. The push-your-luck element during the distilling phase adds excitement and tension, rewarding careful planning but also leaving room for dramatic comebacks. This randomness might not appeal to everyone, particularly those who prefer deterministic strategy games, but it does level the playing field and keeps things interesting.
If you appreciate engine-building games with thematic richness and strategic depth, give Distilled a try. The mix of planning, resource management, and a bit of luck provides a compelling experience that I can’t wait to revisit. Despite a few minor issues with component storage and iconography, the game’s strengths far outweigh these drawbacks. Distilled is a hit, and I’m excited to see how my strategies evolve in future playthroughs.
Purchase Options
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