but it isn't considered a sign of youth; it just happens to be a "palatable" shot that's available for cheap which is why people reminisce the drink because it was one of the more affordable shooters that you'd pound back with a beer. Mixing gets you drunk, and crafting the drink pair requires no bartending skill.

TL;DR the ROI in terms of drunkenness is what makes people gravitate towards it in their youth, and that's IMHO the context of the nostalgia.