During the early 20th century, there was a fascinating circle of British artists, philosophers, and writers known to the world as the Bloomsbury Set. The group of hardworking, gifted intellectuals included Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster, and were united by their love for art as well as their subversive approach to life.

It’s no surprise that these free-spirited individuals would continue to inspire and influence decades ahead, which is why master perfumer Yann Vasnier has created five limited edition fragrances for Jo Malone London’s new Bloomsbury Set.

From left to right: Leather & Artemisia, Tobacco & Mandarin, Blue Hyacinth, Whisky & Cedarwood, Garden Lilies

Capturing the intoxicating essence of a progressive life in Charleston, Yann Vasnier crafted a storyline that gave the five fragrances a chronological evolution, from morning to evening. The collection includes Blue Hyacinth, Garden Lilies, Leather & Artemisia, Tobacco & Mandarin, and Whisky & Cedarwood.

Celine Roux and Yann Vasnier exploring Charleston

Starting with Jo Malone’s fresh Blue Hyacinth, the simplest scent of the five evokes the smell of the morning, resplendent with dewy hyacinth and green stalks. In fact, it smells like a crisp hyacinth that you may have just picked up from the ground, save for a few earthy touches of wood. Then, the collection draws us to a lily pond with Jo Malone’s Garden Lilies. Unlike traditional fragrances that feature an overpowering note of lily, this particular scent suggests that its lilies have not quite blossomed yet, leaving a light floral trail on the skin.

It then takes us into the house, where the library and its shelves of leather-bound books greet us. Jo Malone’s Leather & Artemisia encapsulates the scent of one of the most important rooms of the house where creativity blossomed – the richness of leather meets green facets of aromatic plants such as Absinthe and Artemisia, and finds its way to patchouli and cypriol, representing the soft pages of paper.

Next, Jo Malone’s Tobacco & Mandarin invites us to a brainstorming session that was an evening ritual for the Bloomsbury Set. Inspired by photos of the members smoking their pipes, all decked out in sharp three-piece suits, the scent strikes an unexpected balance between dark tobacco and a touch of bright mandarin, rounded off with a rich, plummy note.

Deep into the night, Jo Malone’s Whisky & Cedarwood seats us onto the waxed wooden floors, where we imagine the group drinking and smoking together as they revel in their artistic practices. Rich boozy notes of whisky and rum extracts are blended with cognac oil and hints of oakmoss, myrrh, and sandalwood for a sensual effect.

As with all Jo Malone fragrances, you’re encouraged to layer these fragrances to create a scent that’s uniquely yours. Trust us, we had plenty of fun experimenting with them. We’ll let you in on one other thing, too: they smell wonderfully complex when you combine all five fragrances together.

Jo Malone London Bloomsbury Set, 30ml at $110 each. Available from March 2017 at Jo Malone boutiques.