Reddit reviews Cocktails: A Beginners Guide to Making Classic and Contemporary Cocktails at Home

Maybe look at getting a book like
this. the cocktails listed below would be great starts but having a book and a couple of choices of booze helps to try stuff out. Go for Iced Drinks over shooters. You can find an app for your phone that will also help you make drinks. It is a lot of fun to grab a bottle of vodka, rum, and whiskey and start finding drinks you like. This will cover some of the basic families of drinks and as you determine your tastes you can go down those rabbit holes. Happy Birthday to one lucky guy.