Aidy Smith brought star quality to this year’s Bar Magazine Awards, setting the tone for a night that celebrated not just excellence in drinks, but the voices reshaping the industry’s future. In this interview, he reflects on how living with Tourette syndrome and ADHD has shaped his journey through the industry, and why neurodivergent thinkers are driving some of the most exciting innovations within the drinks’ world today.
You’ve spoken openly about living with Tourette syndrome and ADHD. How did those experiences shape your entry into the drinks’ world?
Honestly? In two completely opposite directions at once. In terms of acceptance, it made things harder. I started my journey into wine and spirits journalism about twelve years ago and it was an incredibly traditional space. I’m gay, I have Tourette’s and ADHD, and I can be rather forward. So, suffice to say, I didn’t exactly fit the mould. There was a real air of judgement, a sense that certain doors simply weren’t for people like me. I still think I carry some of that with me today.
But here’s the other side of that coin; everything I’ve built, including The Three Drinkers TV series, DRINKLUSIVE, and everything else in between, has been fuelled by that same experience. My neurodivergence gave me a drive to prove people wrong, a relentless energy to push through and show everyone just what is possible. What others might see as a disadvantage has been, quietly and consistently, my biggest advantage.
Do you think neurodivergent thinkers bring something unique to flavour, storytelling or drinks communication?
One hundred per cent, and I say that without any hesitation. People who are neurodivergent don’t view the world the same way as neurotypical people, and let’s be clear: the world is still largely built for neurotypical people. That means neurodivergent people are constantly having to think outside the box just to navigate everyday life. That’s exhausting, yes. But it also means that when we turn that energy towards something we’re genuinely passionate about, the results can be extraordinary.
In the drinks world specifically, that translates into completely fresh perspectives on flavour, on storytelling, on communication. We’re not reaching for the same well-worn wine vocabulary or the usual narrative frameworks. We’re building new ones, sometimes wild ones. That’s an asset, not a liability, and any brand or publication that hasn’t cottoned on to that yet is leaving real creative power on the table.
Do you feel the drinks world is becoming more open to neurodivergent voices?
We are moving in the right direction, slowly. But there is still a long way to go, and I think it’s important to be honest about that rather than just celebrating the progress. One of the biggest ongoing issues is gatekeeping. There are still too many people receiving information and resources who simply don’t pass them on to the communities that need them most. Awareness without action isn’t inclusion in my mind.
And then there’s the wider picture. The current political climate in America is having a very real knock-on effect here in the UK. DE&I initiatives are genuinely struggling to secure funding right now, and that matters enormously for neurodivergent professionals who depend on those structures for support and visibility.
Through DRINKLUSIVE, you’ve worked to widen access to the drinks’ media world. What gaps were you trying to fill, and what kind of support do neurodivergent drinks professionals need most?
The drinks’ world, and this is even truer of the wine world, is still largely filled with similar people. And there’s a direct link between that homogeneity and the fact that our industry is declining, because communities who don’t see people who look, live or love like them don’t feel welcome, and so they don’t engage. That’s not just a social problem when you get to the heart of it; it’s also a commercial one, and, speaking candidly, if we don’t change that, we’re only going to continue to see a decline.
DRINKLUSIVE was built to do two things. First, to bring genuinely unique talent into this industry, because that has a ripple effect: when people from underrepresented communities see themselves reflected, others follow. Second, to give those people something concrete: the education, the connections and the opportunities they’d otherwise struggle to access. We’re talking WSET qualifications, mentoring, and real publishing credits in national and international outlets. Not just a warm welcome and a pat on the back, but an actual ladder to reach real and meaningful opportunities that will affect their future in a tangible way.
Are there voices in the drinks world right now who you think are pushing this conversation forward?
There are some brilliant ones. Ahsoka Wallace is a force to be reckoned with. I have watched them flourish over the last few years to embrace their neurodivergence with a fierce determination, and work tirelessly to help others understand what it’s like to walk in our shoes. Queena Wong is doing fantastic work at getting more female talent into the world of wine, and Ben Branson continues to challenge what the drinks industry can look like. He is yet another example of the countless neurodivergent entrepreneurs who are changing the very foundation of the industry.
Then there are the people who aren’t front facing but are pushing the boundaries of support internally. People like Julie Pender at Pernod Ricard, Julie Shepherd and Jordan Casewell at Decanter and Javiera Moller (previously Concha y Toro, now Heineken). Individuals like James Simpson at Pol Roger, Jancis Robinson and Tara Thomas at Jancis Robinson, and Michelle Brampton at WSET, and of course the team at the Gerard Basset Foundation who have changed the very foundation of what representation looks like through their grant support programme.
We need more of them, but the ones we have are genuinely moving things forward.
Finally, if the drinks industry could take one lesson from neurodivergent thinkers, what would it be?
We are stronger together. That’s it, really. For every wall I’ve come up against, every door that didn’t open, the answer has always been the same: find your people, build your community, and pull each other through. The drinks world has a real opportunity to be a place where difference isn’t just tolerated, but genuinely celebrated. We’re not quite there yet. But we’re getting there. I think it will be really telling over the next 10 or so years which companies really take off due to innovation in the drinks space, and if the people leading them are in fact neurodivergent.
IG: @sypped
