amer liqueur

Reference

France, Alsace

ABV18-21%
Sub-styles
Amer PiconBigallet China-Chinagentian-orange bitter

Tasting Notes

Bitter orange peel, gentian, quinine, caramel. Amber-brown color. The bitter-orange note is the defining character — more orange-forward than Italian amari. Less complex than a full amaro but more focused — designed to do one thing (add bitter-orange depth to a drink) and do it well. Modern Amer Picon is less bitter than the original. Finish is medium, bitter-sweet, orange-peel dry.

Brand Guide

Classic: Amer Picon Club ($18-22, limited availability). Substitute: Bigallet China-China ($25-30). Craft: Golden Moon Amer dit Picon ($30-35, closest to original recipe). Budget: Torani Amer ($22-28). The category is defined by absence — the original Amer Picon recipe no longer exists, and every commercial amer is either the reformulated version or a substitute.

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The Story

France's alpine answer to amaro—gentian-bitter and orange-bright, built for the long drink rather than the digestif ritual.