Sinku
Crassostrea gigas
Deep-water suspended Pacific oyster from British Columbia. Clean and briny with a mild, cold milk taste and no vegetal notes. Crisp texture from cold-water cultivation at 15-40 feet depth.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, briny, crisp
Expert Notes
Sinku oysters are identical to Pearl Bays but are cultivated using deep-water suspension at 15-40 feet below the surface. This unique farming method exposes them to more zooplankton than phytoplankton, resulting in a less vegetal flavor profile with no cucumber or seaweed notes. Instead, they develop a mild, cold milk taste with a clean, briny character. The cold, deep water keeps them exceptionally crisp with a refined, richer complexity than surface-grown oysters. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan
- Grown in
- British Columbia coastal waters
- Size
- Medium (2.5-3.5 inches)
- Shell Color
- Very clean white with no barnacles or mud
- Meat Color
- Pale cream
What Experts Say
Across 6 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: cold milk, clear cold liquor
"Not much phytoplankton thrives that far down, so the oysters' diet consists of more zooplankton (microscopic animals). This gives a less vegetal flavor—no cucumber or seaweed here—and more of a mild, cold milk taste. The cold, deep water keeps them nicely crisp."
mildcold milkcrispclean
"The result is a very crisp melon taste, salty with a very clean finish, and is a delicate meat covered in clear cold liquor."
crispmelonsaltycleandelicate
"Small, delicate, and have a refined, light, and sweet melon flavor with a clean finish."
delicaterefinedlightsweetmelon
"My notes indicated it was salty and one of my favorites so far."
salty
About the Farm
Pearl Bay (Mac's Oysters)
Grown in Jervis Inlet on BC's Sunshine Coast, Sinku means 'clear running water' in the native Coast Salish language. These oysters are part of the Pearl Bay brand family.
- Cultivation Method
- suspended culture
History & Background
Sinku oysters are identical to Pearl Bay oysters but are grown at a depth of 15-40 feet instead of on the surface, creating a distinct terroir through depth-based cultivation.
The name Sinku comes from the Coast Salish language meaning 'clear running water', reflecting the pristine waters of Jervis Inlet where they are cultivated.
Did You Know?
- Grown 15+ feet deep where they feed on zooplankton rather than phytoplankton
- Part of a three-oyster terroir system: Pearl Bay (surface), Sinku (15 feet), and Summer Ice (60+ feet)
- The deep cold water cultivation creates exceptional crispness in the meat
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 6 sources.
- Sinku - British Columbia - The Oyster Guide — oysterguide.com
- PRODUCTS | Mac's Oysters Ltd. — macsoysters.com
- Sinku Oysters — chefs-resources.com
- Sinku Oyster - Oysterater — oysterater.com
- Oyster Varieties — cannundrum.blogspot.com
- Pearl Bay - British Columbia — oysterguide.com
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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 Pacific Oyster (C. gigas): Cream, Cucumber, and the Japanese Legacy
Understanding the world's most cultivated oyster - from Japanese origins to West Coast dominance
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 →