Atlantic oysters, grown along the Atlantic Coast from Nova Scotia to Florida, are small, and have a relatively smooth shell and a mild taste. The Pacific oyster, a briny-tasting delicacy introduced from Japan in the 1920s, ranges in size from the tiny Kumamoto oyster to the large, heavy-shelled common Pacific oyster. Olympia oysters are a rare, slow-growing species native to the Pacific Coast. Flat oysters, natives of Europe, are grown in cold waters on both coasts of the United States. They have an intense yet delicate taste. Oysters get their specific taste from the areas where they are grown, and they are often sold under these place names. Oysters can be bought live in the shell, shelled, fresh or previously frozen, or smoked.