Basic Profile

Origin
Colville Bay, near Souris, eastern Prince Edward Island, Canada
Species
Crassostrea virginica (Eastern oyster)
Classification
Farmed; single-producer brand
Farming Method
Bottom-farmed, harvested with tongs, graded and packed by hand
Producer
Colville Bay Oyster Company (Flynn family)
Visual Signature
Aqua-green shell; large, medium and cocktail (Sarah Shore) sizes

Colville Bay Oyster Company is a family business near Souris, at the eastern end of Prince Edward Island, working in oysters and lobster for about 30 years.1 Its oysters are farmed on the bay floor at the mouth of the Souris River and harvested with tongs.2

Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), the species grown at Colville Bay
Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), the species grown here. Photo: acryptozoo / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

On the Bottom

The company describes its bay floor as "an almost perfect balance of silty and soft sand", with algae and brisk currents that color the shells aqua-green.2 Every oyster is harvested, graded and packed by hand, and the company has won Oyster Grower of the Year at the PEI International Shellfish Festival more than once.1 It sells three sizes, from the large Colville Bay to the cocktail-sized Sarah Shore.2

Flavor Breakdown

In the grower's words
A "salty-sweet flavor".2
The shell
Aqua-green, from the bay's algae and currents.2

What Makes Colville Bay Unique

Colville Bay's oysters grow on the bay floor, not in cages, and are tonged up and sorted by hand.21 The aqua-green shell makes them easy to pick out on a mixed PEI platter.

A salty-sweet, bottom-grown PEI oyster with a shell you can pick out across the room. Order the Sarah Shore if you like them small.

Should You Add Lemon?

Cautiously

Try one plain to catch the sweetness.

Pairing Guide

1
Muscadet sur lie

Lean and salty.

2
Maritime dry cider

Tart against a salty-sweet oyster.

OptimalPlain
AcceptableMignonette
AvoidHeavy cocktail sauce

Who Is This For?

Will love it
  • Visitors to eastern PEI
  • Fans of bottom-grown oysters
Sources
  1. Colville Bay Oyster Company. "Our Story." colvillebayoysterco.com
  2. Colville Bay Oyster Company. "Colville Bay Oysters." colvillebayoysterco.com
Tasting notes & flavor profile in the Oysterminds app →