I would guess you probably agree with regard to the side-effect profile

Well, according to the longitudinal studies I've seen adderall dosing's long-term effects in adults aren't all that severe comparatively speaking. I wouldn't dose it -- (I already have high blood pressure as it is, and unlike modafinil adderall is a genuine amphetamine). In general I'm rather leary of what I (inappropriately) refer to as "psychoactives" -- that is, drugs that induce altered mental states ("highs").

maybe this just boils down to me being fussy about what they call a "classical nootropic".

As in, a pill that raises your IQ. Yeah, no such beast exists today.