Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tea bags, cinnamon, and cloves and bring the heat down to the lowest setting. Allow the bags to soak for 5 minutes, stirring every minute, or until the mixture turns a slight reddish brown. Remove the tea bags, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves and discard them. Stir the whiskey or brandy into the tea and remove from heat. Set the mixture aside.

Evenly distribute the maple syrup between 4 serving glasses. Squeeze a lemon quarter above each of the 4 glasses and discard the drained wedges. Evenly distribute the tea mixture between the glasses and stir thoroughly before serving.