He didn’t taste any sugar - first thing that comes to mind is COVID!! (Lack of taste).
When I first moved to New Jersey I ordered a cup of coffee to go at the diner. The gal asked me “regular?” I said yes.
She put it in the to-go cup with the lid on it and I walked out the door. I took a sip and gagged and spit it out on the parking lot.
I went back inside. “Excuse me. I asked for regular coffee - this has cream and sugar.”
“That’s right honey. ‘Regular’ is cream and sugar. Your not from around here are you?”
I can’t recall if I got black coffee or just did without.