Alcohol - you are in the great position that you can afford the decent stuff rather then the cheap crap I ended up drinking as a student.

This is especially important when you try wine - a decent wine is a totally different animal to a bargain basement one and if you're going for adult sophistication nothing says 'classy' like a decent red with a meal (assuming that 'meal' isn't KFC which kinda ruins the effect).

I drink very little (always have -very rarely get drunk) but what I drink nowadays is the good stuff - my favorite whisky (single malt) is Macallan and for red wines I'd try the easy drinking Australian reds at about $15-20/bottle mimimum. Shiraz Viognier is a great variety.

For whites (which I don't drink that much) you just want something clean with a bit of bite - Chablis is a pretty safe bet as a starter.

Champagne is overrated (but great to impress the girls) - Veuve Cliquot and Pol Roger are decent mianstream brands.

Beers you can sort out for yoursef I'm sure

Best to get an imported Polish or Russain vodka rather than the cheap mass-produced crap (the good stuff you sip neat although you can keep a bottle of the cheap stuff to use in vodka + coke etc).

As for Gin - Gordon's is standard. and should be kept at all times with small bottles of Schweppes indian Tonic (full fat and diet). Bombay Sapphire is a bit more interesting and comes in a very cool bottle. An afficionado would also import something like Miller's.

The main thing is that these are high quality drinks and should be consumed to be appreciated not just to get wasted. If you want to get drunk stick to cheap beers and vodka and coke, and don't drink your $50/bottle wine cellar when you are too ratted to remember it

21? Retarded society. We were drinking in pubs at 15.