Place the vodka (16 oz) in a clean, sealable jar. Add the black tea leaves, crushed cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, sliced ginger, and the split vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract). Seal jar and store in a cool, dark place for 24–48 hours, gently shaking once or twice per day. Taste after 24 hours — you want a pronounced chai aroma but not excessive bitterness from the tea.

Prepare milk syrup

While infusion is nearing completion (or after you remove solids), warm 1 cup whole milk in a small saucepan over low heat until just steaming (do not boil). Stir in granulated sugar (3 oz) and brown sugar (2 tbsp) until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine and clarify

Strain the infused spirit through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl to remove tea leaves and spices. Return the strained spirit to the jar. Slowly add the warm milk-sugar mixture to the strained spirit while stirring to combine. Let the combined mixture sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then refrigerate. (Optional: to slightly clarify and mellow, let sit refrigerated 24 hours and then decant off any sediment.)

Finish

If you used a vanilla bean, remove and discard. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice by stirring in up to 1 tbsp more sugar dissolved in a small amount of warm milk if needed. Bottle the liqueur and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks; shake before use because some settling may occur.

Tea Biscuit Milk

Place 2 cups whole milk and crushed tea biscuits (4 biscuits) in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm gently until steam appears and the biscuits have softened, about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally to help biscuits break down and infuse the milk.

Turn off heat and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes so the biscuit flavor fully infuses the milk. After steeping, strain the milk through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard solids.

Stir in 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional), and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust sweetness or biscuit intensity — add up to 1 tablespoon more condensed milk if you prefer sweeter or richer milk. Chill in the fridge until cold if serving chilled (about 30–60 minutes) or use warm if making a hot served drink.

To Build One Drink

For a chilled shaken cocktail: In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz house-made chai liqueur, 4 oz tea biscuit milk, and 3 oz ice. Shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until well chilled and slightly frothy. Double strain into a coupe or rocks glass (over fresh ice if preferred).

For a hot version: Warm 4 oz tea biscuit milk until steaming (do not boil). In a warmed mug, pour 2 oz chai liqueur and top with the hot milk. Stir gently to combine.

Garnish: Finish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon or rest a cinnamon stick on the glass. Serve immediately.