Masala chai, a spiced tea of black tea, milk, and warming spices like cardamom, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, is increasingly replacing pumpkin spice as the cozy fall flavor in cocktails across the U.S. The article clarifies that “chai” means tea, while “masala chai” is the spiced blend popularized in America—boosted by the 1999 Starbucks Chai Latte—and rooted in daily rituals in India and Bangladesh. Bartenders are using chai via syrups, thrown techniques for foam, and house blends to pair with spirits: smoky Scotch and dark spirits shine (Old Fashioneds at Windmills Craftworks, Tamba’s Maharaja of Patiala), while botanical gin also works when balanced with sweetness (The Iberian Pig’s Life of Chai). The result is layered, comforting cocktails—like Peregrine’s Dirty Chai Martini and The Bronze Owl’s Hoodie Season—that showcase chai’s depth as a fall alternative.