Scorton Creek
Crassostrea virginica
Premium Cape Cod oyster from Barnstable Harbor's Great Marsh. Bright, buttery, and exceptionally briny with firm, crisp ivory meats in deep cups. A standout from one of North America's great oyster merroirs.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Bright, clean, with lingering brine and subtle spruce notes
Expert Notes
Scorton Creek oysters are exceptional examples of Barnstable Harbor's premier oyster terroir. Grown in the pristine Great Marsh of Sandy Neck, these oysters develop amazingly deep cups filled with firm, crisp, ivory-colored meats. They showcase perfect salinity with a distinctive spruce note and astringency characteristic of premium virginicas, along with remarkable sweetness reminiscent of creamed corn. The combination of 10-foot tides and nutrient-rich phytoplankton from Scorton Creek creates oysters so plump and beautiful they immediately stand out. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Barnstable Harbor, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Great Marsh, Sandy Neck
- Size
- Medium (3-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- White to gray-white
- Meat Color
- Ivory
What Experts Say
Across 8 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: spruce note, creamed corn, razor clam sweetness
"Amazingly deep cups, filled with firm, crisp, ivory-colored meats. They had a perfect salinity, with that spruce note and astringency that I like in a virginica, along with lots of creamed corn/razor clam sweetness."
firmcrispsaltysprucesweet
"Fresh, firm, salty, and mild. It was so plump and ivory-colored that it really stood out."
freshfirmsaltymildplump
"They boast a bright and buttery flavor with a crisp, clean finish and smooth texture. In appearance, they are plump and ivory-colored with deep cups."
brightbutterycrispcleansmooth
"Bright & Buttery"
brightbuttery
"Firm, crisp, and mildly salty flavor. They grow in the wild end of the bay, offering a fresh, buttery taste."
firmcrispmildly saltyfreshbuttery
"Raised in off-bottom cages in the western end of Barnstable Harbor, Cape Cod. Average sized shell, providing briny flavor."
briny
About the Farm
Scorton Creek Oysters
Est. 1996Founded by Scott and Jennifer Mullin when they graduated from college in 1996. A true family business with their daughters Dierdre and Brenna now hands-on with all aspects of the operation.
- Cultivation Method
- rack and bag
History & Background
First started in 2008 when Scott and Jennifer Mullin began raising oysters in Barnstable Harbor. The farm quickly gained recognition from oyster expert Rowan Jacobsen who gave them 'two thumbs up' in his first tasting.
Scorton Creek oysters have been featured at prestigious events like the Shellfish Shindig at Sam Adams Brewery in Boston and are served at Legal Sea Foods restaurants throughout New England.
Did You Know?
- Featured in Shaw's Supermarket chain starting in 2014, marking a significant development for premium oysters in national supermarkets
- Located in Barnstable Harbor, which Rowan Jacobsen calls 'one of the great oyster merroirs in North America'
- The 3-acre farm is located in the Great Marsh of Sandy Neck, where oysters benefit from a unique mix of salt water and freshwater food sources
- Oysters take approximately 15 months to grow to their full size of 3-4 inches
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 8 sources.
- Scorton Creek Redux — The Oyster Guide
- Scorton Creek Oysters — The Oyster Guide
- Partner Spotlight: Scorton Creek Oyster Farm — Legal Sea Foods
- Oyster Guide: May CSA — Shellfish Broker
- Jennifer & Scott Mullin- Scorton Creek Oysters in Barnstable — Our Wicked Fish
- Oysters - East Coast - Crassostrea virginica | Sand Spit and Barnstable — Fortune Fish & Gourmet
- Scorton Creek Oysters — Fairway Market
- Cape Cod Aquaculture: Cape Cod Shellfish Farms — Cape Cod Xplore
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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)
Read article → Biology & SpeciesThe Atlantic Oyster (C. virginica): From Maritime Brine to Gulf Sweetness
Deep dive into America's indigenous East Coast oyster - flavor profiles, regional variations, and famous varieties
Read article → Merroir & EnvironmentWhat is Merroir? The Science of How Environment Shapes Oyster Flavor
Understanding merroir - the marine equivalent of terroir - and how water chemistry creates flavor
Read article →