I don't think I ever lost my tastebuds. Perhaps they were masked a little with smoking. Perhaps that's why I was always really picky with the tobacco I smoked. I often had to go to different shops to pick out a loose tobacco I liked. I always had a problem with most eliquids too and had to pretty much make my own to get ones that I liked that didn't break the bank. There were a few that I discovered that I liked, but I consider $20 for 15ml to be far too much.

I have a ton of recipes I make regularly and am always inventing new ones, occasionally just to avoid buying more of some flavor key in another recipe I really liked. :P