Picon is a caramel-coloured, flavoured bitters drunk as an aperitif, apéritif which traditionally accompanies beer in the east and north Of. France it is made from a base of fresh oranges which are dried and mixed with a solution of alcohol which is. Distilled picon also contains gentian and quinquina in equal. measuresaetan Gaétan, picon born in, 1809 was a scholar who had an apprenticeship at the distillery Of-aix-En, Provence toulon And. Marseille in, 1837 after taking a trip To algeria where he had been in The French, army he Invented. Picon the aperitif was placed in the category of bitter and was39 %. abv