Windy Bay
Crassostrea gigas
Alaskan oyster with pronounced briny and metallic character. Medium-bodied with robust minerality and a clean, ocean-forward finish that reflects the cold waters of the Alaskan coast.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Salty, metallic, ocean-forward
Expert Notes
Windy Bay oysters from Alaska deliver a medium briny punch with distinctive metallic minerality that speaks to their cold-water origins. These oysters showcase the clean, robust character of Alaskan waters with a salty, ocean-forward flavor profile. The firm texture and pronounced minerality make them a favorite for those who appreciate oysters with a stronger, more assertive character reminiscent of the wild Alaskan coast. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan
- Grown in
- Alaska Coast
- Size
- Medium (2.5-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- Gray-white
- Meat Color
- Cream to pale gray
What Experts Say
Across 4 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: watermelon rind, deep flavor
"powerfully briny, then sweet, then a finish of watermelon rind and lots and lots of zinc. The oysters are beautiful, as suspended Pacifics tend to be, delicately painted in pink and purple swirls, and firm and meaty."
brinysweetwatermelon rindzincfirm
"Regular size, Medium Briny, from Alaska"
brinymedium
"their deep flavor: powerfully briny, then sweet, then a finish of watermelon rind and lots and lots of zinc"
deepbrinysweetwatermelon rindzinc
About the Farm
Simpson Bay Oyster Company
Est. 2019Located in the remote town of Cordova, Alaska on Prince William Sound. The farm is family-run and community-embedded, operating in the cold, clean waters near Windy Bay off Hawkins Island.
- Cultivation Method
- suspended culture
History & Background
Windy Bay is a small fissure in Hawkins Island, just across the channel from Cordova, Alaska. The town of Cordova, with 3,000 residents clinging to a slope on the edge of Prince William Sound, is famous for Copper River Salmon, but Windy Bay oysters are a lesser-known but equally remarkable local seafood.
Best consumed at the Alaskan Bar on Main Street in Cordova (the bar owner Dave also grows the oysters). The oysters are not widely available in the Lower 48 states due to the remote location.
Did You Know?
- Cordova has no roads connecting it to other towns - accessible only by plane or ferry
- The oysters grow slowly (3-4 years to market size) in the cold Alaskan waters, contributing to their deep flavor
- The town is famous for Copper River Salmon, possibly the world's best
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 4 sources.
- Windy Bay (Alaska) Oysters — The Oyster Guide
- OYSTER LIST — Oyster Bar
- DELTA SOUND CONNECTIONS - Meet Simpson Bay Oyster Company — Prince William Sound Science Center
- Oysters In Windy Bay — Umpqua River Haven
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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
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