I can drink liquor straight, but don't like to do it (unless it's whiskey, tequila shots (as a sidecar), or really good scotch).
Alcohol purchasing 101:
NEVER BUY BOTTOM SHELF LIQUOR. Bottom shelf stuff is usually flavored vodka and can be really nasty. It's like throwing money away...much better to go middle of the road at least. I tend to go middle of the road if I'm using it as a mixor. For tequila, I always look for 100% Agave, but often will buy mid-lower grade because the price of that stuff keeps rising. Look for liquor stores that offer 1.75 liter bottles for a discount in the middle of the week. Around here, I can save 10-20% buying on Wednesdays...it really adds up on $20-50 bottles. Go to stores that have staff you can ask questions. Look for shelves that may have only a few bottles left of a particular brand. That will help you figure out what's good...look for what sells.
Summer drinks, I tend to stick to Mai Tais and Margaritas. Margs are very particular, but it's tough to mix one using pre-made mixes that doesn't taste too sweet. Most mixed drinks are WAY too sweet to enjoy the alcohol. I'll share a few tricks and recipes with you:
If you're drinking rum, I'd make my 3 ingredient mai tais... Get a bottle of Cruzan Aged rum because it's cheap and has a nice subtle coconut essence that's not advertised on the bottle. Bacardi would work too... Buy some Dole Pinapple Orange Juice and a jar of maraschino cherries. You'll have about $15 in the rum, $3 in the juice, and another $2.50 in the cherries....so $20 for probably 15 drinks. CHEAP. I make this on vacation because it's beachy... How to mix: Take 2 pint glasses....fill one with ice cubes. Pour rum to about 1/4th of the glass over the ice....then fill up with the juice and leave a little room in the top. Take a teaspoon and get about a teaspon of the cherry juice and mix by pouring it into the other glass and back again. Done...drink. If it's too sweet or strong, just wait. The ice will melt and at some point, the drink will be more to your liking. If it's too weak, next time....fill it to the 1/3 mark. If it's been a rough day, go to 1/2....just be careful. Rum will sneak up on you in these drinks.
Margaritas are similar....I get 100% Agave Tequila, but never use topshelf because it's a waste. For margarita mix, I usually just grab Finest Call or Jose Cuervo brand margarita mix. If I had a choice, I'd be using Ocean Spray Sweet & Sour mix and lime juice. I typically fill a pint glass with ice, pour 1/3 of the glass with tequila....do another 1/3 with mixer, a splash of OJ (or mixed juice above), and a splash of water....maybe a lime slice if I happen to have them. I do the water because I don't like margaritas too sweet. I also don't like salt on my margaritas. Play around until you find a recipe you like and don't overthink it. Don't be afraid to water drinks down and just drink more of them. I sometimes even put a splash of miller light in margaritas....the carbonation makes them pretty good.
Whiskey:
To learn to drink whiskey, I recommend you start by paying a professional to mix them.
Canadian whiskeys tend to be lighter and smoother as a result of it. Crown Royal is marketed this way and Canadian Club is a similar balance, but not quite as expensive. When I first started drinking whiskey, I knew a lot of guys that were drinking Crown Royal and Ginger Ale because it was so smooth. These taste better in bars for some reason. Anyhow....drink those until you like them....then order a Maker's Mark and Coke on your 2nd or 3rd visit of drinking just the Crown and Ginger mix. Once you get to where you like Maker's and Coke, get brave one night and try drinking Makers on the rocks...maybe at home. =D It takes a while, but let the ice melt to water down the bite. Eventually, you may or may not get a taste for whiskey straight up. For me, it's a temperature thing. I only drink hot coffee....everything else over ice....but I like whiskey straight too. Heck...using the above strategy, I taught my wife to drink whiskey...in the winter, especially, she asks me to mix Maker's for her on occasion.