Imperial Eagle oysters are from the west side of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Imperial Eagle Channel is located about eighty miles northwest of the southern tip of the island. The oysters start out as hatchery produced seed in trays suspended from the surface, but are later transferred directly onto the beach for conditioning. They are grown in ideal conditions, far from any industrial or population centers. The channel is open to the cold north Pacific waters, rich in nutrients from the strong coastal upwelling of the region. The oysters are quite salty, thanks to the direct ocean water exchange, and they tend to be very plump, thanks to the abundance of nutrients. Their flavor is sweet and they finish with a watermelon rind-like aftertaste.