Need Help Enjoying Alcohol

I’m 25 years old and I’ve probably tried to drink a couple dozen times in my life. I’m not dying to get drunk or anything but a little tipsy is nice.

What I really want is to be able to ENJOY alcohol. So that if I travel to Portugal or Italy I can have wine with dinner, or that when I go camping with my parents I can sit and drink a beer with my dad, or if I could go to a bar with friends and have a couple of drinks and not be fucking miserable.

For some reason I’ve never been able to get the stuff down. I tried a number of times through high school and beyond but largely gave up by the time I hit my 20s. Even the smell kind of turns me off. I don’t think its genetic because my parents, grandparents, and brother all enjoy the taste.

I have had some success in the past but it has largely been by drowning that alcohol in sugar. ie; cheap hard cider, pina colada slushie, cocktails with hibiscus syrup, vodka lemonade, spiked spindrift. I’ve always struggled with fizzy stuff which makes beer and some mixed drinks more difficult.

I would love advice in

1.) how to train my taste buds. Capuccinos were my gateway into coffee, which I now love. Whats a good gateway into alcohol.

2.) What hard liquors are more subtle or easier to cover up? What are descent to sip on straight? Tequila vs Vodka vs Gin vs Rum

3.) Any mixed drink recommendations to start? Any wine recommendations? Reds vs Whites?

I appreciate any thoughts, please dont tell me to just drink water or mocktails.