Picon Punch
A Basque-American cocktail with orange liqueur, grenadine, and brandy.
via Wikipedia: Picon Punch · see source
A Picon Punch, or just Picon, blends an orange Amaro like Amer Picon with brandy, grenadine, a splash of soda, and a lemon twist. Though considered Basque, it’s rarely found in the Basque region of the Pyrénées. Instead, Basque immigrants in the western U.S. made it a staple, especially in southern Idaho, northern and central California, and northern Nevada.
Quick Facts
- Primary liqueur
- Amer Picon (or substitute Torani Amer)
- Origin of amer picon
- Marseille, France
- Custom glass producer
- Louie Picon Glass Company of Sparks, Nevada
- Glass used in gardnerville
- Short 4 oz. glass at J.T. Basque Bar and Dining Room
Facts from the source article.
Description
The original recipe for Picon Punch calls for Amer Picon, a French orange liqueur from Marseille. Since that ingredient is hard to find in the U.S., American bars typically swap in Torani Amer. In Northern Nevada, the drink is poured over ice into a special stemmed glass made by Sparks’ Louie Picon Glass Company. Elsewhere, it is served in a highball or Collins glass full of ice. At Gardnerville’s J.T. Basque Bar and Dining Room, a small 4-ounce glass is used.
History
Picon Punch got its start in Europe and is still a favorite among Basque immigrants in the U.S., though it was rarely made in the Basque Country by 2005. In 2024, bars and restaurants in Nevada faced shortages of Torani Amer, the key ingredient, because of supply chain issues from the COVID-19 pandemic and a production change that needed recertification from California authorities. Some places couldn’t serve the drink or used a substitute. Rumors spread about the drink’s future as Torani shifted focus to syrups. In 2025, Torani gave the recipe to Ferino Distillery in Reno, Nevada. That same year, the Nevada State Legislature passed a bill making Picon Punch the official state cocktail.
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