Bras D'or
Crassostrea virginica
Wild-harvested Maritime oyster from Cape Breton's Bras D'Or Lakes. Light-bodied with assertive brine, hints of seaweed, and a clean, steely finish. A quintessential Atlantic oyster from pristine Nova Scotia waters.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, steely aftertaste with hints of seaweed
Expert Notes
Bras D'Or oysters are wild-harvested from Cape Breton Island's immense saltwater Bras D'Or Lakes, where they develop in clean Atlantic waters. Despite the lakes' enclosed nature, a small channel to the sea keeps these oysters brinier than expected. They're quintessential Maritime oysters—very light in body with a mild briny flavor that begins softly and builds gradually, revealing subtle notes of seaweed before dissolving into a steely, clean finish. Most come from Alba Oyster Farm, where wild spat is collected and grown for 4-5 years. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- Canada
- Grown in
- Bras D'Or Lakes, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
- Size
- Small to Medium (2-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- Green and white
- Meat Color
- Light gray to cream
What Experts Say
Across 6 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: springy meat, ever-so-fleeting, little liquor
"Other than brine, they are very light in body—a quintessential Maritime oyster."
brinylightclean
"These petite bites contained little liquor and were salty upon first taste, but the flavor was ever-so-fleeting."
saltyfleetinglight
"These oysters come from the same area as the Beau Soleil, but they have their own unique combination of flavors. The ones that I had a saltiness that quickly disappeared upon the first couple of bites."
saltyfleetingunique
"Bright brine with springy meat and a lingering mineral finish."
brinymineralspringy
About the Farm
Alba Oyster Farm
Melissa and Bill Maclean collect their own wild spat in May and grow the seed oysters for a full year in floating trays, near the surface in summer and down below the ice that covers the lakes the other half of the year.
- Cultivation Method
- wild harvest
History & Background
The immense saltwater Bras D'Or Lakes nearly turn Cape Breton Island into a donut shape. The channel to the sea is small, but the lakes aren't fed by any sizable rivers, so the oysters stay brinier than you might think.
For decades, the Bras d'Or oyster industry blended wild-caught harvest and aquaculture; locals picked oysters from public beds while commercial growers cultivated the shellfish in vast beds on the lake. Mi'kmaw harvesters have historically collected oysters to eat and sell as well as for ceremonial purposes.
Did You Know?
- The Bras D'Or Lakes are actually saltwater lakes that nearly turn Cape Breton Island into a donut shape
- Oysters spend part of the year growing below the ice that covers the lakes
- The oysters are gently placed on the bottom of the lakes where they spend three years slowly marinating in Atlantic brine
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 6 sources.
- Bras D'Or - Nova Scotia — The Oyster Guide
- Oysters & Absinthe at Maison Premiere — In A Half Shell
- Cape Breton Oyster — Oysterology Online — Pangea Shellfish
- Alba Bras d'Or Lakes Oysters — Chef's Resources
- Freeing Nova Scotia's oysters from a parasite's hold — The Narwhal
- Oyster Tasting Log - Peek & Eat — Peek & Eat
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