Innovative in exam, consuming one drink (8)
I believe the answer is:
original
'innovative' is the definition.
('original' can be similar in meaning to 'innovative')
'exam consuming one drink' is the wordplay.
'exam' becomes 'oral' (oral exam is a kind of exam).
'consuming' is an insertion indicator.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'drink' becomes 'gin' (gin is a kind of drink**).
'i'+'gin'='igin'
'oral' enclosing 'igin' is 'ORIGINAL'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for original that I've seen before include "- - sin" , "From which a copy is made" , "New and unusual" , "derivation" , "In first form" .)