Taunton Bay
Crassostrea virginica
One of Maine's northernmost oysters from near Acadia National Park. High salinity with a distinctive buttery, Chardonnay-like finish and crisp lemon notes. Deep-cupped with plump, firm meats from natural tidal tumbling.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Crisp, lemon finish with mild copper notes
Expert Notes
Taunton Bay oysters showcase the unique terroir of Maine's northernmost oyster-growing region near Acadia National Park. Farmed in a tidal basin with restricted sea opening and sun-warmed waters that create rich phytoplankton blooms, these oysters develop a distinctive buttery, Chardonnay-like character. They start with an extra salty, briny bite and transition to a creamy, wine-like finish with subtle copper and lemon notes. The large tidal flows create near-reversing falls that naturally tumble the oysters twice daily, producing uniform rounded shells with deep cups and plump, silky-firm meats. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Taunton Bay, near Acadia National Park, Midcoast Maine
- Size
- Medium to Large (3-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- White with uniform rounded shell
- Meat Color
- Plump, cream to light gray
Perfect Pairings
What Experts Say
Across 9 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: balanced brine, fresh, clean
"The plump meats have an extra salty bite with a mild copper finish."
saltycopper
"Tumbled with fresh saltwater twice a day thanks to their native waterfall habitat, Taunton Bay oysters have a salty flavor that culminates in a mild copper finish."
saltycopper
"Taunton Bays are perfectly clean and have a very uniform rounded shell, with a nice deep cup. The amount of food in the water makes for a plump and meaty oyster inside. The flavor is salty with a copper finish."
saltycopperplumpmeaty
"Taunton Bays are very uniform with a rounded shell with a deep cup. Taunton Bays have an extra salty bite that blends with a mild copper finish."
saltycopper
"These oysters have plump, buttery meats with a balanced brine."
plumpbutterybalanced brine
"Raised near the famed 'reversing falls' of Taunton Bay with lots of current providing lots of food."
brinyclean
"A lovely oyster with a nice freshness and just slightly below the saltiness I prefer but all in all a very nice oyster."
freshmoderately salty
"Taunton Bay is a tidal basin north of Acadia National Park with a very restricted opening to the sea. It's also relatively shallow, meaning that at certain sun-baked times the water can warm right up, resulting in rich phytoplankton supply and flavorful oysters noted for their buttery taste."
butteryrichflavorful
About the Farm
Taunton Bay Oyster Co.
Founded by Mike Briggs, who ran Maine crab and shrimp operations for years before diving into the oyster business over 15 years ago. A true Mainer who loves both the bounties of the ocean and the land.
- Cultivation Method
- floating bags
History & Background
Taunton Bay is a class SB nationally significant estuary and is one of only 14 places in Maine granted special protection by the U.S. Department of the Interior due to its value, vulnerability, and uniqueness. The bay features 'reversing falls' tides with extreme 14-foot tidal shifts that often create rapids where the river makes the narrow passage to the sea.
Located on the outskirts of Acadia National Park in mid-coast Maine, this is one of Maine's northernmost oysters. The bay never completely drains, requiring divers to harvest the crop year-round.
Did You Know?
- Named after the tidal basin north of Acadia National Park with a very restricted opening to the sea
- The extreme tidal action tumbles oysters naturally twice daily in their bags
- Takes approximately 3 years for oysters to reach market size in the cold Maine waters
- The 'reversing falls' create rapids during tidal changes with 14-foot tidal shifts
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 9 sources.
- Oysters - East Coast - Crassostrea virginica | Taunton Bay — Fortune Fish & Gourmet
- Guide to Maine Oysters — Portland Magazine
- Taunton Bay Oysters from Bar Harbor, Maine — Island Creek Oysters
- Maine Oyster Roundup — Oyster Guide
- Taunton Bay Oyster — Oysterater
- Oyster New Cult — Portland Magazine
- About Taunton Bay — Friends of Taunton Bay
- Taunton Bay oyster grower wants to shift a farm site — Ellsworth American
- Oysters - The New England Guide — Marina Life
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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
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