Using your own garlic certainly gives you an edge as it is acclimated to your zone. In my experience, it gets pretty darn dried out after a year, but I would go ahead and try it, but also plant some fresh as insurance so you don't have to do without next year.

Have you checked out the garlic board on this site? It is great and a good number of professional growers participate, but, of course, not at this time of year as they are too busy harvesting and marketing their crops.