Standish Shore
Crassostrea virginica
Premium Duxbury Bay oyster with sharp brine, sweet-buttery meat, and deep cups. Tumbled multiple times for hard, uniform shells with distinctive black and purple streaks. Melt-in-your-mouth texture with a crisp mineral finish.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Crisp mineral finish with clean, salty notes
Expert Notes
Standish Shore oysters showcase the exceptional terroir of Duxbury Bay's nutrient-rich waters. Grown in cages and tumbled multiple times before bottom-planting, these oysters develop remarkably hard, uniform shells with deep cups and distinctive black and purple streaks. The sharp brine collides beautifully with sweet-buttery notes and a plump, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The daily 9-12 foot tides contribute to their intense flavor concentration and crisp mineral finish. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Duxbury Bay, Massachusetts
- Size
- Medium to Large (2.75-3.5 inches)
- Shell Color
- White with black and purple streaks
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 7 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: mushroom earthiness, sharp brine, crisp mineral finish
"A complex flavor profile that begins with a briny punch. This initial saltiness gives way to a sweet and buttery taste, complemented by plump, meaty flesh. The finish reveals subtle notes of mushroom earthiness."
brinysweetbutterymeatymushroom
"Sharp brine, buttery texture, and a crisp mineral finish."
brinysharpbutterymineralcrisp
"Well-balanced flavor and sweet-buttery texture make them a great choice for the perfect Atlantic oyster. Tasting Notes: Sharp brine, buttery texture, and a crisp mineral finish."
balancedsweetbutterybrinysharp
"Well-balanced with sweet-buttery notes, sharp brine, and a crisp mineral finish. Plump and meaty with a satisfying bite, perfect for raw consumption."
balancedsweetbutterybrinysharp
"This is great oyster. I find after the initial brine dissipates a bit you can pick up a delicious subtle mushroom earthiness. It also has a fairly deep cup for an East Coast oyster."
brinymushroomearthysubtle
"Excellent, robust oysters, these share many characteristics with other Duxbury oysters, but these are bigger and firmer than most. Savory and meaty. An oyster lover's oyster."
robustsavorymeatyfirm
About the Farm
Standish Shore Oyster Farm / Pangea Shellfish Company
Est. 1996Ben Lloyd dreamed of owning an oyster farm since 1996 when he worked for Moonstone Oysters as a URI Marine Affairs student. He first entered the wholesale shellfish business before establishing his own farm in Duxbury Bay, naming it Standish Shore. Today, Ben and farm manager James Kearns lead a year-round crew growing over 2.5 million oysters annually.
- Cultivation Method
- bottom culture
History & Background
The farm is located in Duxbury Bay, Massachusetts, adjacent to Island Creek Oysters' leases. The farm site benefits from Duxbury Bay's unique position—warm enough to provide abundant food for quick growth, yet cold enough that oysters largely don't spawn, maintaining meat quality year-round.
Standish Shore oysters are grown near the historic Myles Standish Monument and Howland's Landing shipyard, where famous pilgrims and settlers once foraged for shellfish. The farm represents the continuation of this centuries-old shellfish harvesting tradition in Duxbury Bay.
Did You Know?
- The oysters are tumbled three or four times before being planted on sandy flats, creating their distinctive deep cups and hard, uniform shells with black and purple streaks
- Duxbury Bay has massive 9-12 foot tides that flood the oysters with nutrient-rich waters twice daily
- The farm now produces over 2.5 million oysters annually, a substantial increase from early production levels
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 7 sources.
- Standish Shore Oysters - The Oyster Encyclopedia — Oyster Encyclopedia
- Standish Shore Oyster — Oysterology Online — Pangea Shellfish
- Massachusetts (Mainland) Oysters — E-Fish
- Standish Shore Oysters - 10pc — Four Star Seafood
- Standish Shore Oyster — Oysterater
- About Standish Shore Oysters — Standish Shore Oysters
- The Commander's Shellfish Camp Facebook Post — Facebook
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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 →