All interesting points. Is there not a difference between someone who makes their spirits from local raw ingredients, grain to bottle, and someone who uses purchased NGS? I believe there is. People have called our process of making spirits from grain inefficient, not economical, and even stupid. We call it craft distilling. Does that make us "better?" No, just different I guess. More local.
If NGS is the answer, why not take that thought process all the way and buy rum, whiskey, gin, and other finished products that you can then add a personal touch to, and market as locally produced spirits? THus the problem. Where to draw the line.