Personally, I had the realization that I prefer some kind of alternative bar for touring that is more upright and that drops are silly. My first tour overseas taught me that drop bars for touring is more of a North American thing.

I have a bike with about 2.5" of saddle to bar drop and nitto noodles with a slightly shorter reach for commuting and training and general use, my other bike has modern compact bars and about 5" of saddle to bar drop. Both are comfortable for their intended use. Brifters are a must, old narrow bars and levers do not work for me. I need a nice flat section and a reasonably sized hood to rest on.

Being comfortable is all about taking care of your body. I don't just bike and I do more mountain biking than anything. I also ski, run, hike, swim occasionally, and go through fits and starts with basic core strength exercises and yoga etc... if all I did was road bike I'd be very uncomfortable. Overall fitness is the most significant component of on the bike comfort and the one most people talk about the least. As your fitness changes your bike fit will evolve. The fitter you are the more comfortable you'll be with a longer and lower position.