Oysters are one of the few foods that honestly taste like where it comes from, each as unique as its bay or inlet.

Our Oyster Profiles feature notes on flavor, texture, and origin.

Wine and cheese are also uniquely locational foods, and oysters tend to share similar language when describing their texture and flavor.

Kumamoto

Kumamotos are considered by many to be the world’s most perfect oyster.

Rowan Jacobsen calls them the "sweetest of the sweet."

Flavor: sweet and fruity, notes of cucumber and melon

Shell: small with a deep cup

Texture: smooth and buttery

Salinity: low brine

Origin: Penn Cove, WA

Kusshi

Kusshi is Japanese for “precious”, and these oysters are just that with their small, gemlike shells. Their smooth shell is the result of tumbling, which forces them to deepen and thicken their shells.

Perfect for newbies and connoisseurs alike.

Flavor: ultra clean, mildly sweet

Shell: small and deep-cupped

Texture: plump and creamy

Salinity: low salinity

Origin: Penn Cove, WA

Sewansecott

By taking a hands-on approach from seedling to harvest, HM Terry Co’s Sewansecott oysters are uniquely cultivated.

You won't find oysters like these anywhere else.

Flavor: known for their burst of brine that mellows to a richly sweet finish

Shell: cupped on bottom, level on top…perfect for slurping

Texture: delicately silky but crisp

Salinity: balanced

Origin: Hog Island Bay, VA

Blue Point

The Blue Island Oyster Co. is the only company legally allowed to cultivate and sell the Blue Point oysters, world-renowned for their quality.

Found in some of Manhattan's best restaurants.

Flavor: whispers of celery on the finish

Shell: gently cupped shell in gemlike colors

Texture: crisp

Salinity: straight-from-the-ocean brine

Origin: Great South Bay, NY

Naked Cowboy

Named after the naked guitar-playing cowboy of Times Square in NYC, who Blue Island Oyster Co. founder Chris Quartuccio used to drive by during his daily deliveries to Manhattan restaurants.

Like its namesake, Naked Cowboy oysters are lively and refreshingly salty!

Flavor: ruggedly savory

Shell: dark and rugged with shades of green

Texture: plump and meaty

Salinity: playful salinity

Origin: Great South Bay, NY

Check for updated Oyster Profiles as we continue to add some of our favorite oysters from around the country.