Little Island oyster illustration
Beginner Friendly US East Coast Researched

Little Island

Crassostrea virginica

A bright, fresh Maine oyster from the Bagaduce River. Mildly salty with sharp brine up front, delicate meats, and a sweet, creamy finish. Surface-cultured for smooth shells and deep cups, perfect for the half-shell.

Brininess
Shell deep cupped

Flavor Profile

Brininess 3/5
Sweetness 3/5
Minerality 2/5
Creaminess 3/5

Primary Flavors

Secondary Notes

Finish

Sweet, creamy finish with crisp, clean notes

Expert Notes

Little Island oysters from Maine's Bagaduce River offer a bright, fresh Atlantic experience with a perfect balance of salt and sweetness. Surface-cultured to develop smooth, beautiful shells and deep cups, these oysters deliver sharp brine up front that transitions smoothly into delicate meats with a buttery texture. The crisp, clean finish with sweet, creamy notes makes them ideal half-shell oysters that showcase the pristine waters of the Bagaduce.

Origin & Characteristics

Species
Crassostrea virginica
Native to
USA
Grown in
Bagaduce River, Maine
Size
Small to Medium (2.75-3 inches)
Shell Color
Smooth, clean shells
Meat Color
Light cream

Perfect Pairings

Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring

What Experts Say

Across 7 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:

Unique notes: metallic, coppery, flinty, buttery

"Little Island Oysters have beautiful shells and deep cups almost the size of golf balls! Part of their lives are spent surface-cultured, which gives them their smooth shells. The creamy to light brown meat of these oysters is plump and substantial, with a big, pronounced flavor and metallic, 'coppery' finish – very distinct but far less briny than other oysters, with a 'sweet to flinty' overtone."

plumpsubstantialmetalliccopperysweet

"This is a bright, fresh and mildly salty oyster with a clean finish. Little Island oysters are perfect in the half shell at 2 ¾-3 inch."

brightfreshmildly saltyclean

"The Little Island Oyster Farm is nestled against the shoreline of their family island in the Bagaduce River in Maine. This is a bright, fresh and mildly salty oyster with a clean finish."

brightfreshmildly saltyclean

"The Bagaduce River in Hancock County, Maine is an ideal estuary supplying shellfish with plenty of nutrient-rich ocean water with two daily tides. Nestled against the shoreline of their family island, Little Island Oyster Farm produces oysters that are handled throughout the growth process (approximately 3 years to reach market size) and that there is minimal environmental impact."

nutrient-rich

"Bagaduce (Bagaduce River) Buttery and sweet, these oysters come from the mildly salty waters of the reversing falls of the Bagaduce River. Bagaduce oysters are consistent in their flavor, texture."

butterysweetmildly saltyconsistent

About the Farm

Little Island Oyster Co.

Owned by Frank and Tonyia Peasley, Little Island Oyster Co. is nestled against the shoreline of their family island in the Bagaduce River in Maine. The company is transitioning to take over operations of Bagaduce Oyster Company.

Cultivation Method
surface culture

History & Background

Little Island Oyster Co. is set to take over operations from Bagaduce Oyster Company, continuing the oyster farming tradition in the Bagaduce River, which is known for its reversing falls and ideal estuarine conditions.

During COVID-19, Little Island Oyster Co. experienced significant sales disruptions but adapted by finding new distribution channels, including selling mature oysters to The Nature Conservancy for reseeding estuaries through the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture program.

Did You Know?

  • Part of their lives are spent surface-cultured, which gives them their smooth shells and deep cups
  • The oysters take approximately 3 years to reach market size
  • Located on the family island in the Bagaduce River, named after the Indian word meaning 'fast water'

Sources & References

This information was compiled from 7 sources.

  1. Elm Square Oyster Menu — elmsquareoysterco.com
  2. Little Island - Oysters East Coast — fortunefishco.net
  3. News about Aquaculture in Maine — maineaqua.org
  4. Bagaduce Oysters - The Oyster Encyclopedia — oysterencyclopedia.com
  5. Superior Foods Oysters — superiorfoods.co
  6. Oyster New Cult - Portland Magazine — portlandmonthly.com
  7. Aquaculture association creates distribution manual for growers — ellsworthamerican.com