Picon is a bitter liqueur from France made from oranges, gentian and cinchona. It gives a bittersweet taste and a slightly spicy bouquet. Picon can be drunk neat as an aperitif and is excellent to mix with beer or white wine. Picon is a bitter liqueur from France invented by Gaétan Picon. Born in 1809, Gaétan was trained at the Aix-en-Provence distillery. He invented the Picon in 1837 during his service with the French army in Algeria. He then looked for a medicine against malaria with which he had become infected. It became a miracle cure because it worked. His officers had also discovered his drink and he was allowed to produce it for the French troops. After his military service, he founded a large distillery in Marseille and renamed his product Amer Picon. 'Amer' means 'bitter'. Picon Amer is made from oranges, gentian and cinchona. It gives a bittersweet taste and a slightly spicy bouquet. Picon can be drunk neat as an aperitif and is excellent to mix with beer or white wine.