Malagash Thrumcap
Crassostrea virginica
Wild, bottom-grown oyster from Nova Scotia's Malagash Basin. Mildly salty with a distinctive smoky, mineral finish and firm texture from the pristine northern Atlantic waters.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Mildly salty with a smoky, mineral finish
Expert Notes
Malagash Thrumcap is a wild, bottom-grown Nova Scotia oyster with a long, hard greenish-white shell. The meat is firm with a mildly salty flavor that leads into a distinctive slightly smoky, mineral finish. These oysters reflect the clean, pristine waters of the Malagash Basin on Nova Scotia's northern coast, delivering a straightforward brininess with subtle mineral nuances that showcase their wild Atlantic character. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- North America
- Grown in
- Malagash Basin, North Shore of Nova Scotia
- Size
- Medium (3-3.5 inches)
- Shell Color
- Greenish-white
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 5 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: wild mushrooms, Northumberlandy, light texture
"It's another of those wild, mild, bottom-grown Northumberlandy oysters, big and long with a greenish-white shell and an irregular cup. It's firm, as all the slow-growing Canadian oysters are, with a mild vegetal flavor."
mildvegetalfirm
"The fresh oyster meat is firm with a mild brininess. It has complex flavors similar to wild mushrooms, and lingering sweet, vegetal, early notes."
firmbrinymildmushroomsweet
"The sandy soils give the oyster a sweet and briny taste with a light texture... have a flavour profile that is second to none, slightly briny and with a slightly sweet finish."
sweetbrinylight
"Wild, firm oyster with mild vegetal flavor and briny finish. Long, hard, greenish-white shells."
wildfirmmildvegetalbriny
"Nova Scotia oysters are a little more robust in both flavour and salinity, but not as sweet... almost a perfect halfway point between the world famous Malpeque and a mid-Atlantic oyster from Cape Cod or Long Island."
robustsaltymineral
About the Farm
Purdy Family / Bay Enterprises Limited
Est. 1867The Purdy family has been producing oysters in the Malagash area since 1867, making them one of the oldest oyster operations in Canada with over 150 years of expertise.
- Cultivation Method
- wild harvest
History & Background
The first lease for oyster grounds in Canada was made to Senator MacFarlane from Wallace in 1867, with oyster farming beginning the following year in the Malagash area. Oyster beds have been continuously found for thousands of years, first noted by the indigenous Mi'kmaq people, and later by European settlers.
Malagash is a village on the Northumberland Shore between Pugwash and Tatamagouche. The name 'Malagash Thrumcap' is considered one of the most memorable and fun oyster names to say in North America.
Did You Know?
- The oyster's name sounds like it could be a bird species spotted at an Audubon Society outing
- In 2013, an average of 30,000 oysters were harvested per week during the production season
- The name is often considered more famous than the oyster itself
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 5 sources.
- Malagash Thrumcap - Nova Scotia — The Oyster Guide
- Malagash Oyster - Ark of Taste — Slow Food Foundation
- Malagash Oysters: A Taste of the Northumberland Shore — Fox Harb'r Resort
- Oyster Varieties — The Seafood Merchants
- Inland committed to bringing only the freshest product to customers — Urner Barry's Reporter
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Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
Comprehensive guide to C. virginica (Atlantic), C. gigas (Pacific), C. sikamea (Kumamoto), O. lurida (Olympia), and O. edulis (European Flat)
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