Impulses generated in the taste buds of the tongue reach the cerebral cortex via the:
Functions of the Thalamus:
The main functions of the thalamus are as follows:

It is a sensory integration and relay station of all the sensory pathways except for the olfactory pathway which is projected directly to the cerebral cortex without being relayed in the thalamus.
The impulses from taste buds of tongue reach the cerebral cortex via this relay station.
It is capable of recognition, though poorly, of pain, thermal and some tactile sensations at its own level
Thalamus
Internal capsule
Cervical spinal nerve
Trigeminal nerve