I loathed that incarnation of his character. It was just before writer's changed it into an arrogant Don of intellectualism, the very worst stage of the dis-stinked personas following the one that charmed the world. That's why I believe "Last Salute" was originally intended to close the Columbo series, before a deluge of viewer complaints turned it around and revived it well-beyond a fifth season.

Can we be sure that 'tall' isn't being used to mean 'bombastic' here?

He's certainly seemed a bit more relaxed. I guess they thought the mystique had worn off on the audience by that time. It was enough that the killer always underestimated him but by that time the audience may have started getting ahead of the show so the subtrefuge was lost on them.