alambicar

Literally to distill, as in producing spirits (alambicar el aguardiente), and figuratively to over-refine or overcomplicate language or thought — un estilo alambicado, an overly convoluted, precious writing style. The figurative literary-criticism sense is what learners are more likely to run into.

• Los artesanos alambican el licor en pequeños lotes. — The artisans distill the liquor in small batches.
• Su prosa está tan alambicada que resulta difícil de leer. — His prose is so overwrought that it's hard to read.
• No hace falta alambicar tanto la explicación. — There's no need to overcomplicate the explanation so much.

Missing the figurative sense entirely and only knowing the literal distilling meaning — alambicado (convoluted, overly ornate) is the form learners actually meet most, describing writing or speech, not liquor.