A bottle of Vieux Cognac dating back to 1788 — the year before the French Revolution — sold at a Paris auction of wine and spirits for $37,000.

Paris’ landmark Tour d’Argent restaurant has cleaned out its cellar, considered one of the best and biggest in the world, putting 18,000 bottles up for auction.

The two-day sale, which ended Tuesday, brought in more than $2.2 million, the Piasa auction house said.

It was the first auction in the 427-year history of La Tour d’Argent, whose 27-room cellar holds close to 450,000 bottles.

The bottles, which were bought directly from vinters and sent straight to the seller, had an impeccable provenance, a concern in these days of wine fraud.

Source: AP