Twelve bottles of the oldest rum ever auctioned have sold for a combined £83,250 ($135,476) at Christie's in London.

The bottles, produced by slaves in Barbados in 1780 and only discovered in a Leeds, UK cellar in 2011, beat their £12,000 ($19,630) estimate by 593.8% at the wines and spirits auction on December 12.

At more than 200 years old, the rum is almost certainly past its best

The dark rum was marginally the more appealing to buyers, with bottles selling for £8,500 ($13,966) to £8,750 ($14,376), while the light offerings made between £5,000 ($8,215) and £5,250 ($8,826).

Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Geraldine Connor Foundation, which assists young people in the performing arts.    

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