Take look on Tour de France any pro and you will see clearly brake levers and bars up quite bit!
Why is this: well if the pros are doing and is working for them it should benefit most of us as well.
Since there is lots of climbs in the tour rider will ride 80-90% on the hoods & some on the tops of the bars.
You are able to braze yourself and use brake hoods as good power lever to push or pull on it durring the sustained climbing in the sadle or out of the sadle.
Also by placing your hands higher allows for better oxygen delivery to your lungs & way easier on your neck, shoulders.It comes down to more eficcient and better comfort zone position over longer distance including lots of climbing.

Descenting or all flat out efforts in the drops might have to be get use to becouse shifters are higher in the drop position but it can be done.

The lower down the drobs levers are the more reach you need to place your hands on it and you might be pulling ton of shoulders,forearms, lower back and upper back muscles and over long distances you will fatique way quicker than in more upward position. I do bike fits for living and see lot of clients come to get fit and they are so streatch on the bike with no flex in the elbow area to take any road shock , they have their seats way to far back or the bars are sloped down to far and the reach to the brake levers is way to long to be in any cofort zone.

In 70's & 80's Old scholl would sugest to keep the bars horizontal with the bike's top tube, now days comfort and personal likes from rider to rider is the name of the game.
If you live in the very flat land or you avoid any big climbs than more clasic brake lever and bar position will work for you.

Just my two cents,
Lescycling
www.bicyclefitnw.com