Carpenters’ Hall Is Hosting Special After-Hours ‘Scotch and Snacks’ Featuring Pairings with Oysters, Pickles, Cheese, & Chocolate

History lovers and whisky fans have a new reason to head to Old City this winter and spring. Carpenters’ Hall, the 1770-built National Historic Landmark and meeting place of the First Continental Congress, is expanding its popular after-hours Whisky Tours with a flavorful new twist.

In 2026, the historic venue will introduce Scotch and Snacks, a once-monthly tasting series pairing guided whisky experiences with specialty food tastings inspired by ingredients familiar to 18th-century Philadelphians. The limited-capacity tours run after the Hall closes for the day and offer rare access to spaces not typically open to the public, including the second floor and its 19th-century library.

Led by Executive Director Michael Norris, each two-hour tour accommodates just one to ten guests, creating an intimate setting that blends storytelling, architecture, and carefully curated flavors.

“Our after-hours whisky tours have been very popular, and this new series builds on that success by connecting the experience to Philadelphia’s incredible food scene,” said Norris. “Each pairing reflects flavors that would have been familiar in colonial-era Philadelphia.”

After exploring the main floor—where delegates once gathered to debate the future of the colonies—guests are led up a quarter-turn staircase and through an ornate wrought-iron gate to the rarely seen second floor. This historic space includes a refined 19th-century library, rare books, and a rotating pop-up exhibit of artifacts from Carpenters’ Hall’s storied past.

The tasting takes place in the very room where Benjamin Franklin and other key figures secretly met with a French emissary to discuss support for the American Revolution. Here, guests enjoy three rotating Scotch samples, provided by ImpEx Beverages, along with a specialty food pairing from a featured local purveyor.

The Scotch focus honors Robert Smith, the Scottish-born master builder who designed Carpenters’ Hall, and reflects the site’s long-standing connection to Scottish tradition.

2026 Scotch and Snacks Lineup

• February 26 | Pickles
  Fishtown Pickle Project
  Founder Niki Toscani leads a tasting of culinary-inspired refrigerator pickles made with intention and bold flavor.

• March 26 | Oysters
  Fishtown Seafood
  Owner Bryan Szeliga presents a tasting of responsibly sourced local oysters and classic accompaniments.

• April 23 | Cheese
  Perrystead Dairy
  Yoav Perry showcases award-winning American cheeses crafted at Philadelphia’s urban creamery.

• May 28 | Chocolate
  Éclat Chocolate
  Master Chocolatier Christopher Curtin leads a tasting of internationally recognized, sustainably sourced chocolates.

What’s Included

Each Scotch and Snacks experience includes:

• Three Scotch tastings

• A specialty food pairing led by a local expert

• A private tour of the main hall with original artifacts

• Access to the typically off-limits second floor and 19th-century library

• A pop-up artifact exhibit

• Meeting Place of History, a fully illustrated booklet about Carpenters’ Hall

Tours are priced at $60 per person, with tickets available for individuals or private groups of up to ten guests.

For those looking to sip, snack, and step deeper into Philadelphia’s revolutionary past, Scotch and Snacks offers a rare opportunity to experience one of the city’s most important historic sites in an entirely new way.