Suze () is a Swiss brand of

bitters Bitters (plural also ''bitters'') is traditionally an alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter for a bitter or bittersweet flavor. Originally, numerous longstanding brands of bitters were developed as patent medicines, but now ar ...

flavored with the roots of the plant

gentian ''Gentiana'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family ( Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their most ...

, normally drunk as an apéritif. The brand is owned by

Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard () is a French company best known for its anise-flavoured pastis apéritifs Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis (often referred to simply as ''Pernod'' or ''Ricard''). The world’s second-largest wine and spirits seller, it also produ ...

. It is yellow in color with an ABV of 15% across Europe and a version bottled at 20% for the British market.

History

Suze was first put on the market under the name of Picotin in 1889 on the occasion of the Paris World Fair by Ferdinand Moureaux, who had inherited of his family's distillery in

Maisons-Alfort Maisons-Alfort () is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Maisons-Alfort is famous as the location of the National Veterinary School of Alfort. The Fort de Charenton, constructed betw ...

. The name was changed to Suze in 1898 and might either be related to Moureaux' sister in law Susanne Jaspert or to the river Suze in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, where Moureaux is said to have bought the recipe in 1885 or 1914. In 1912,

Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...

depicted a bottle of Suze in his collage ''Verre et bouteille de Suze''.Suze website: Between the two World Wars, through intensive marketing (such as the sponsorship of the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's Race stage, multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours (the Giro d'It ...

in 1933) Suze became one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in France.

References

Alcoholic drink brands Bitters Pernod Ricard brands {{France-stub