Malaspina Inlet Oyster

Malaspinas are grown about 150 miles north of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia in an isolated part of Canada's west coast. The only human population to speak of is that of the oyster farmers themselves. The oysters start out as hatchery produced seed in trays suspended from the surface, but are later transferred directly onto the beach for conditioning. The water tends to be quite salty here, due to the direct flow of ocean water through the Strait of Georgia, and high in nutrients as well. As a result, their flavor is quite sweet and they finish with the cucumbery aftertaste common to pacific oysters.