Interesting question. My tomatoes don't taste like they should either. I'm growing many new (to me) varieties and was wondering why folks fuss over them. For example, my first Kellogg's Breakfast looked pretty, but had this bitter and, well, smoky taste. Not in a good way smoky, but more like how I imagine an ashtray would taste. The Cherokee Purples are as bland as they could be, whereas last year they were fantastic.

I also have several new types, altogether about 75 plants. They are waaaay behind last year in even getting ripe. Several have what seems like tough skins, and a very blah taste also. I am in the Sanel Valley where the smoke just socked in and would not leave. There is a vegatable stand in town run by a nice older man who I talk to, and he drives out to central valley and up by Chico to get local produce from the farmers, and he also said the same thing, bland fruit, very late, off taste. Usually my tomatoes are fantastic.