It's possible for a human to drink himself to death. It's just easier if you are a kitten who only weighs a few pounds. But a small taste will not kill, just as downing a six-pack will not kill a healthy human. But the amount you might drink before realizing its neurological effects if you are a kitten is much greater than what a human, particularly one with experience with alcohol, will drink. But even with us sometimes naive humans will drink much more than is wise before they realize how it is affecting them, and sometimes we die of it. And we're humans who can understand the warnings in the ads, the kitten can't. So there's that. But a few licks are not going to kill even a small animal if you realize what is happening and take the drink from them before they've had too much, pretty much as with humans who are inclined to go overboard.
"As little as a tablespoon of any form of alcohol" is nonsensical. The dangerousness of the dose depends on the amount of actual ethyl alcohol it contains. Liqueurs are particularly dangerous because they tend to be in the 40 proof range and very sweet, so a naive user might drink a lot quickly. Beer isn't nearly as dangerous both because it's less alcoholic and it's an acquired taste that drives most novice users away both animal and human. Mixed drinks can be dangerous for the same reason liqueurs are, but straight distilled liquors are rejected by most humans and animals that aren't hoping for the psychoactive effects.
TL;DR alcohol is not safe for your cat, your dog, your bird, or you. But I am sitting here with a glass of wine by my side as I type this.
= new reply since forum marked as read
